New-York tribune., 1904-10-16
AUTOS" FOR SOLDIERS.
German 1rmy Has Them-Fun at
Wdn09uTrcS.
Mdn9uUrcS.

There is now chance for the German officer
well the German private 10 have n bit OF
sport at the annual manPuvres such the
army of the Kaiser often holds Following
tie lead OF France and England. Germany has
finally made the automobile a part OF her mill
t,ly equipment. and at the recent sham battles
The colonels and captains dashed about from
post 10 post In great touring cars. and often
times with reckiessness which would make an
American spectator think they were sportsruen
racing for cup rather than members OF the
imperial army IN regular service
Germany long regarded the automobile
wholly impracticable for war. and IT was not
until her military attaches In France and Eng
land reported the extent TO which II was being
used in those countries ,ha, she considered
The subject at all seriously In England she
learned that regular automobile corps had been
established. the members of which were volun-
ieers but subject TO regular service in time Of
var. In France It was discovered that the auto
car was being used especially for the sending OF
dispatches
But ii was after the maneuvres that the
German officers found the automobiles an
especial source OF recreation In auto cars most
Of them toured back TO their gaLrrisons and
as they had precedence over everything else
along the country roads they swept from VII
lage to village racing speed
II is after manRuvres also. that the German
private has his sport Such has been his Gus
tom long before automobiles were even dreamed
OF. Ii is generally in the afternoon when
the march OF the last day ends that the fun
begins. No matter how footsore and weary he
may have thought himself to be- he forgets II
all then And well he may for on the morrow
ne VIII be a free man The term Of his service
WIZ be over The next morning he will be on his
way back to his garrison. where he will give up
his weapon and assume the plain clothes Of a
citizen The actors I'm the pOst-maneuvre reveis
are the liberty men," or those who have served
their full term of three years The snec,a
tors are those who have one or two wears mora
of army life
One feature of the celebration which IS some
thing like the burning of his books bv the
American college student is generally first op
'ie programme with the shouts OF school
boys, the liberty men, build a great bon6ra
and in its lurid light they hold a mock court
martial Some petty officer is dragged ou,
exalted on throne, and before him is brought
soldier uniformed as for dress parade The
soldier is accused of simply being a soldier
Gnd he is condemned TO death for BELONGING, m
he army. Then. amid shouts OF der;sion the
poor fellow is thrown headIong into tho bondre
and permitted to burn to ashes The culprtt
never struggles He is only straw. though he
fills an officers uniform.
Should the commanding officer be visiting the
quarters OF a regiment at SUCH a time he will
surely find himself caricatured in a wav that
rs amusing or irritating. as his mood NAV be
Some private from the ranks may be selected To
take the part and as a general thing the man is
well chosen, not only for his appearance but
for his ability as actor. The mimic general
picks his staff and assumes as much dignity
as II he had Just conquered Franco II his