Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-08
GERMANS WILL MANEUvER, TOO
Emperor william viii Put His Army
Through It's PAGES In Mock
Battle.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Sept. T.
In preparation for the autumn maneuvers
which begin next Tuesday, 81, 1000 troops
are spreading over the countryside in two
armies. one OF which is marching to the
eastward from here by various parallel
roads, while the other Is marching west
from Posen. 1t has been raining all day.
The general stan, which is the brains OF
tho German military organization, once a
year puts opposing armies into the field
under what would be the probable condi-
tions OF war and notes the results, es-
pecially in the higher question OF strategy
Each regiment and division is exercised
frequently in minor maneuvers in all
weathers and under various Typographical
conditions. but the grand maneuvers in
which several army corps are engaged, take
place one year in one part OF the empire
and the next year in some other location
and are for the working out OF fresh COM
binations on q great scale.
The operations now beginning will be
extended over a territory which is, roughly
speaking, thirty miles wide and fifty miles
long. The hostile army, the Blues, is
! popularity assumed to be Russian. 1t is
supposed to have penetrated the frontier
and to be advancing. 1t is composed OF
tue flltu COTpS anu fractions OF OtneI
corps. The whole is somewhat less than
$4,000 men strong, OF which 5000 are In
fantry. 1900 cavalry and comprises four
regiments Of field artillery, detachments
Of horse artillery, machine guns, balloon
lists, pioneers, t~elegraphers and a commits
sary department.
The advance guard OF the Blues is sup
posed to have crossed a line marked by
the river Obra, a tributary to the Wharf.-The,
and to be seeking to gain the left bank
Of the oder and possession OF the railroad
junction at Frankfurt
The defending army. known as the Reds.
is made UP of the Third army corps and
the First division OF the guards. 1t is
somewhat more than 10000 strong and
composed Of $4,000 infantry. 10000 cav
airy, Ave regiments Of artillery and the
usual complement of aeronauts.
The outposts CT the two armies are 70
come into touch Tuesday morning between
Meseritz. Sohwiebus and Butschen. This is
all the general stan at present permits
outsiders to know. strategicsl movements
and four days fighting with blank cart
ridges are to follow under the observa-
ton Of Emperor William and the most
gifted military commanders Of Germany
and Foreign officers Of distinction from
lldiy, dTtdl bTiNdlus nuSSloG AuSNllo ohu
the United States. The British group in
cludes Earl Roberts, Generals Kelly-Kenny
and Ian Hamilton.
The maneuvers In the purview Of the
general staff, are a part OF the combinations
that engage the whole army in imaginary
action. 1t is probable that in the calcu-
lations OF the general stan the forces are
in general contact with each other or with
the forces in attack, and are working in
conjunction = / armies on paper, having
an object not revealed to the public. The
chief value OF the m~aneuvers, therefore,
lies in a consideration which is only per-
ceived by the board OF strategists at the
top OF the general STAFF, while foreign Wis
itors, not even those OF the first rank. will
see the full meaning of the operations.
Their professional interest Will be en-
gagged in witnessing large bodies OF troops
handled in the held.
The German officers taking part in the
maneuvers are very much in earnest. The
operations are no pleasure trip for them,
but a time to test their judgment and skill
In executing details in the field. Their
standing with their superiors and their
promotion depend upon their own conduct
and that Of the men whom they have
trained, but under conditions quite different
from the bsrraek room and the parade
ground.