New-York tribune., 1902-09-26
THE SPIKED HELMET.
FEATURES OF THE MILITARY
rprcTaCLES IN EASTERN PRUSSIA
MILITARY SCIENCE MORE IMPoR-
TANT THAN STRENGTH
IN MEN.
THE MHIT AIRY
RsrIin. Septer1her 10.

-ro have been trained in barracks and on
- eround and who are prepared in an
f.-zsncv 10 fight for the flag Universal con-
,,+ion has been accepted as the necessary
s..son Of national existence and security,
80 * no revolt against il The army is
...,+lv on exhibition, and veterans who have
- .beir time inspect it critically. and are
,,:,sr, in their judgment Of its fitness as an
rsnt Of national defence. Tactics and
4-,r,--es are discussed in workshop and hut,
.,s-e is intense pride in the workna Mike
.r.ncs Of every branch Of the military SER
The Germans are convinced that as
Wy, .rs mustered in the European circle of
- .,.irs is the best in equipment, training,
t.,rs and effective strength. and their faces
- rn with z fine glow Of enthusiasm when
~ soldiers are praised. There may have been
-.a-ch3ng Of hearts in Posen over the language
.res+ion and the use Of q German catechisn1
-,rr Polish school children. but there was
r-lv me feeling respecting the army which was
...sed there for the sovereign's inspection and
s. ,ba entertainment Of the populace- 1t was
e,-ir,en+ az sincere attachment 10 il as one OF
she hast national institutions and OF admlra-
.,o, for its efficiency as a fighting machine
7-,-s-z- household was identified with II: men IL
middle lie and old age had been associated With
g. and the poorest boys with their nlcked ana
broken wooden soldiers were dreaming OF the
,,-,a when they. TOO. could fall into the ranks.
A, army corps st Posen or at Frankfort-on-
roae- is something essentially different from the
skeleton organization which MI Brodr1ck has
tean extolling in Parliament. The soldiers are
- .o,,-+ea on nsper. but are on the ground in
q cororlere condition Of equipment and train
,g Each CORPS numbers about thirty-eight
-bonsans men with two divisions Of infantry, a
a,-a,-v division of six regiments formed in three
lriga6es an artillery force OF IA guns, bat
,slion Of rifles and full equipment Of engi-
Jeers feIegraphers ammunition and supply
columns field hospitals. bakeries and other de-
tails Each corps is organized on a peace basis,
with 40 n IN an infantry company, with
only four out Of six guns horsed in a battery.
and with an infantry division. a brigade OF ar
tinery and other contingents Of subsidiary forces
II reserve But il is complete so far as il goes,
and al z moments warning can he placed on a
war footing with reinforcements Of seasoned
soldiers. The corps is il state Of readiness for
3 campaign. with every detail thought out IN ad-
vance and carefully prearranged. The ad-
dresses OF the reserved men are known. and
their uniforms and arms can he had in single
day: horses Of every class are registered, and
can be brought into the military depots at short
notice; guns. ammunition. wagons and military
appliances Of ali kinds are waiting orders for
campaigning on g large scale. and every staff
officer knows what he viii be expected TO do OF
the outbreak OF war and is prepared for rapid
End orderly transaction Of business. The army
corps is working unit for war as well as for
peace. Its perfection Of scientific organization is
the promise OF its potency in q supreme ener-
sency.
The parades in Posen and Frankfort-on-Oder
have been brilliant spectacles. with the cavalry
ss the most striking feature When the army
corps is rnassed on a broad plain the glints Of
color OF the mounted force are the brightest
CLEANS in verdant meadows. At Posen the
cavalry was in stronger force than at Frankfort,
and the uniforms were Of many colors. There
were dragons IN light blue and cuirassiers in
gIstening white. There were Hussars in black
and in scarlet and Uhlans in dark blue All
were mounted on well groomed. wiry horses,
and their helmets and pluunes CLEANED and
nodded as they rode swiftly over the turf. Fred
erick the Great in his day and Napoleon after
him won their battles with daring charges Of
troopers and the German Emperor, a fine horse
man himself, stands by the oldtine traditions
and makes the cavalry conspicuous in every
parade and series Of rnanduvres. Recent war
fare has enforced the necessity for arrning a
mounted force with pons with which 1t can
Withstand the fire of rifenen and for intro
ducing new methods Of cavalry drill; but the
German staff has been reluctant to sacrifice the
Spectacular effects OF massed bodies Of troopers
The German cavalry IS trained for swift rushing
charges upon artillerymen and infantry, al
though the conditions Of warfare have been
transformed by sn1okeless powder and long
range guns and rifles. The staff may be right
for the battles with European foes will not be
essentially different from the conflicts in South
Africa, where there were few nassed charges
and where mounted infantrymen and rough
riders were indispensable in fighting with Boer
rfernen
The German infantry Is the best drilled force
IN Europe Every raanpuvre IS executed with
mechanical precision and uniformity Whether
the battalions were massed for inspection on the
parade field at Posen, OF were keeping the line
for the Emperor's passage through the crowded
streets. every soldier was a drill sergeant's
automaton without free will or personal sense
OF initiative. This is the German system in
herited from Frederick the Great. whose soldiers
were little better than serfs and were trained
;n habits Of implicit obedience by the drudgery
OF routine and drill. 1t has impaired homo
Feneousness and absolute uniformity to i'm
mense masses Of foot soldiers. Bettalions, regi
rnents. brigades and divisions machines
operating with absolute precision In steadiness
OF marching and perfection Of line when drawr
up in close order the infantry Of the Third
and Fifth Corps left nothing TO be desired BY
the most captious and critical martinez. The
British generals who witnessed the parade a
Frankfort may have recalled the transfgura
tion which protracted military service in Soutl
Africa had effected in the equally well drilled
battalons Of Aldershot; and certainly there ar'
intiHnations by or two of the military CORE
spondents Of the English press that drill ha.
been carried too far in Germany and that sol
diers must be left free TO find cover and to ac
for themselves, and not be massed on the fielt
tn such close order as to be decimated. by artil