New-York tribune., 1904-10-31

orncers or ths best regiments and his revela-
tions and satirical comments were more piquant
than those OF Lieutenant Bilse. whose associa-
tions were Of a more democratic nature. MI
Fisher Unwin has secured an English transia-
tion of the baron's novel, and It viii be likely to
interest a larger class than the military set AZ
Aldershot and the service clubs Militarism 10
more scientifically organized in Germany than
in other European countries. and IL is credited
not only with training all classes In habits OF
obedience precision and thoroughness, but also
with breeding the most efficient ofncers anu
commanders of men, Life In a Crack Regi-
ment' opens the doors of the messroom OF tne
yellow Butterflies and reveals the morals ana
manners Of officers of the old nobility in the
German army The gay officers are pnoto-
graphed with acrid humor and merciless real
isn and sorry figures they are In their caste
pride and arrant snobbishness.
The book suggests at once to English review
ers contrasts between the smart regiments here
and the yellow Butterflies of Berlin II
records the transfer of a rich manufacturers
son from inferior regiment in a garrison
town to one OF the most exclusive messroOms in
Berlin. where all the other officers were Of noble
birth. and the best among them barons and
counts. His father stood well at court, and the
change of regiment was ordered by the En-
peror; but while his companions on the first day
were coldly polite to the plebeian. they sent him
to Coventry on the morrow. excluded him from
confidence and intimacy. and only condescended
to speak to him when they needed to borrow
money from him to pay their gaming debts. He
made no display OF his wealth and gave them no
cause for resenting his snobbishness OF spend
thrift habits. He did not live expensively. keep
horses and servants and gamble heavily; nor did
he waste his time and neglect his military
duties. There opportunities for intt-
mating to him that a rich mans son was not
wanted In regiment where all his fellow Off
GERS were supposed to be living economically,
whereas In reality they were head and ears
in debt. and only waiting to have their affairs
become a little desperate before marrying
heiresses and comforting distinction upon the
middle class. He was an exemplary officer re-
ceived compliments from the Emperor. and COM
PEELED the colonel and the adjutant to commend
him for saving the reputation of the regiment
when one of the most reckless gamblers COM
mitted suicide; yet his companions never allowed
him to forget that he not of themselves
and finally forced him to throw up his commits
sion and to interest himself in his fathers busi-
ness Incidentally there Is a deliberate plot on
the part of poverty stricken nobleman's fam
lily and relations to entangle him in love affair.
and so premature are they in their intrigue that
they raise money on the baroness's reported en-
gagement to him before he has thought seri-
ously of asking her to marry him. One Of the
most supe:cilious of his fellow officers. who had
refused to have any social intercourse with him,
appears in a patronizing way to propose to his
sister and to marry her for her money, and is
surprised when the plebeian is not 1attered by
the delicate attention.
What is truthfully said by English commenta-
tors about this German book is that the officers
of the crack regiments here have their own
methods of disciplining snobs. and that neither
iQh frOn
punishment. Those methods are secret and ire
sponsible. and cannot be justified outside the
messrooms OF favorite regiments. whose subal-
tern officers hogged for breaches of good
manners and for social offences: but military
men are confident that the yellow Butterflies
would have been less insolsrt and intolerant if
there had been systematic Raging" While it
is doubtful IL earnest. ambitious millionaires
son would be encouraged by majority of the
officers in crack English regiment if he were
TO take a serious view of the military profession
and settle down to systematic work. it Is
tain that he would not he insulted and hunili-
atel for not being OF noble birth. Without
doubt rich officer whose father stood we'll at
court would be persona grata at the Guards
officers quarters, and there would be no lack OF
social introductions and attentions II he
make a practice OF paying his companions gam
ing debts; and If they were to force him by their
overbearing manners to resign his commission.
they would not accept his invitation to dinner
and patronize him while they getting drunk
at his expense. like the caddish swels Of the
yellow Butterflies" They might be
jealous in excluding vulgar and unwelcome ele-
ments from the officers corps. but when re-
preached for their insolence they would not, like
the baIon's snobs, draw themselves up to full
height and declam such nonsense as this: Re
member belong TO the highest caste; we
have our own sense Of honor which you cannot
unde rstand; our thoughts are not your thoughts
nor yours ours. God be thanked l. n. F.