The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-09-15
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
MATTERS OF THE WORLD

: sciences. Although American universities
are strong in this respect the ponderous
learning of German scientists has been
the admiration of other countries for ages
and fills the more volatile American mind
with awe. No people seem to possess the
faculty for absorbing abstruse knowledge
to greater degree than the Germans. As
result their universities are the finest
in the world. We hear much of classic OK
ford, but when man holds a degree from
Heidelburg, Leipsic, or Munich he is not
dilletante but profound thinker. The
course of study is so severe in a German
university that q student has scant op-
portunity to develop into a dreamer over
book of verse or an idle gazer at the
masterpieces Of great artists. On the
other hand Oxford is noted for the great
number of brilliant men turned out
every year who seldom amount to any,
thing. In the countries represented at the
great German seats of learning. Russia
heads the list with $50 students. Austria
Hungary is next with 5S6, and the Uni
Hungary is next with $50, and the Uni
to say that If Germany were more easily
accessible to our American students with
out means the number enrolled would be
much larger.
Every now and then the brief notice
of an army officers retirement after a pc
riod of twenty, thirty or forty years of
active service reminds us of the obscurity
that envelops the life of the average SOL
der. In the United States army there are
hundreds of brave captains, colonies and
officers of minor rank who live and die
without creating the slightest noise in the
world. They never have an opportunity
to reveal their qualities and are never
heard of by the vast majority of the
American people, whom they spend their
lives to protect. An army officer consid-
ers it rare piece Of good fortune to have
an opportunity to prove his daring He
knows too well that unless luck favors
him he will spend weary years in the rou-
tine of army life with nothing to look for
ward to save slow promotion. Even
when the coveted rank is attained a brief
notice in the papers and congratulations
of friends or relatives is all the gratifica-
ton received. Now that wars seem to be
less frequent at least among the higher
civilized countries, there is less hope for
the soldier to win fame than ever. Those
who rise to the rank of brigadier gem
eral are few in number and there are
generals in the United States army today
that are unknown to four-fift of the
American people, Shut up in some far
away western post it is very easy for the
years TO roll by until the age of retire.
ment is reached. Even when the officers
a~e transferred to different stations the
situation is not greatly improved for
there are seldom any but routine duties
to perform.
A paper has been started at COPENHAGEN
by two Danes who have recently returned
to their native land after becoming Amer
lean citizens. The publication is called
Our Countrymen Across the Water and
will endeavor to increase the immigrat ton
to the United States by setting forth the
attractions of the country to those who
are seeking a new home. The movement
will be met with favor by all who desire
clean, Industrious class of people to re-
cruit the ranks of our frugal toilers The
Danes are in many respects very desir-
able as new citizens. In addition to being
hard workers and intelligent they are
law abiding, inoffensive and mind their