Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-12-23
TAUGHT HOW TO WAR.
School Of Strategy in Berlin With the
AbIest Of Army Officers as Pupils.

Curtis in Chicago Record. Herald. y
Fronting the Thiergarten. not ia,
from the reichstag building aud th,
new monument to Bismarck. is al
imposing structure called the Wal
College. 1t is school peculiar te
Germany. and is intended to teach tn
science of strategy In military affairs
and the organization of armies.
Is something more than an ordinary
military academy. for none but the
ablest and most promising Officer
are sent there, and a detail for a
course of instruction not only makes
the man who receives 1t an object
of envy to all his comrades, but al
once stamps him with distinction. II
means that. In the opinion of his Al. y.
perior officers. he is fit material for a
general and should be put into train.
ing for that responsibility. Three
or four hundred young officers select.
ed from the ablest and most efficient
in the German army are detailed for
instruction every year, and when they
graduate they seldom return to their
regiments for any length of time, bu,
are assigned to the stan or wherever
they can best put their learning to
practical use.
Another branch of the war college
is devoted to training young officers
for stan duty directly. to make quar-
termasters. commissaries and adiu
tants. and qualify them to serve in
other positions In the executive man.
agement of the army.
The late General Ludlow of the
United States army prepared plan
for the establishment of a similar
college in Washington. and the man
unscript now lies in one of the
pigeon holes in Secretary Roots desk
If 1t has not been destroyed. Lud-
low made thorough study OF the
German institution before preparing
his report. and recommended the
adoption of several of It's features,
modified to meet the peculiar coudi-
tions of the United States. No at.
tempt was made to organize the
school because the number of eyppri-
enced officers In our army is so small
that none could be spared either as
teachers or pupils so long as the trou,
ple in the Philippines continues. but
sooner or later II is expected that n
war college will be part of our mill
tarv system as the college at New
mort Is part of the naval organiz-
alton todav-
One of the frequent exercises at the
German institution in which the en-
peror takes great interest is krieg-
spell. or the game of war. which is
also used at the war college at New
port, where ships are the fighting ma
terial instead of men. The krieg-
spiel game at the German college at
times lasts week or more. and the
ahlest military minds engage in it.
In the center of large hall is an
enormous table the top of which is
painted to represent map of Eu-
rope or some other part of the world,
with all the mountains, rivers and
other Typographical features repre-
sented. Upon this is placed a col
lection of lead cubes painted In col
ors. representing the different arms
of the service, the cavalry. infantry
and artillery, and little flags on pins,
stuck into the boards here and there
to locate the headquarters of the COM
handing officers. hospitals, supply
tents, etc, while baggage wagons,
supply trains, ammunition magazines
and other parts OF military cam
paign Are designated.
The game is conducted on either
side by men selected for the purpose,
who choose their advisers from the
officers and students of the iL.titu.
t'on just as the end men at spell
ing school choose their sides. Each
moves his troops In turn. The bat.
tie Is fought in an evening or II may
be campaign of several days. 1t is
"a magnifed game OF chess, and the
various military corps corr. spond In
strength and Importance to the diff
e:on. kind of chess men. Ump;rea
ale appointed at the beginning of the
game to settle any disputed points
and to decide which army is sue
cessful.
The emperor often has kriegspiel
at the palace at Potsdam during the
winter. in which the members OF the
household and prominent officers
of the staG engage. The young
princes have also been taught to take
part In the game, and one night last
winter the crown prince. a boy Of 10.
fought battle against Count Won
Schlieffen, chief of the emperor's
staf, with such skill as to invoke the
most enthusiastic compliments from
his father. At the close Of the
games at the palace there is always
a supper and plenty of beer.
For technical education the facil-
tiles afforded by Germany are Vnsur-
passed. and a student Asy obtain
theoretical knpSiedge Of any branch
of learning, art or industry, from
the movement of the stArs down to
the boiling of tpynips and the making
o sauarkraut. All of the arts Of
tie household and scienees Of do.
n ,stic economy. the factory. the
| counting house, the shipping office.
the farm. the forest and every other
branch OF human activity recaiye