The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-20

ike SCn0OlDOSS.aii Il ne rest u tluS AcGluto
touches on the demands made on the small
salaries OF the younger officers for mess
expenses driving them to borrow where
they ca1l and Invoking themselves and
their families In misery Under the lash
or Frau Stark tho colonel urges them 70
Join the tennis club and aid other forms
of amusement which they cannot aiford
TEMPTATIONS OF YOUNG OFFICERS i 'E,IR5
Rittmester Koenig In a lleart-to-heart
talk with Lieutenant Bleibtreu, pictures
in gloomy colors the temptations of young
edlaers to. exceed their pay, stationed rs
they often are along with men having
independent means who are accustomed
4 to Injuries and can afford them. Ills
remedy is not lacking when Bleibtreu de-
mands what can be done to stop the dis
ease. IN statute should be enacted that
no debts Of ali officer up to the rank
\ Of rittmeis ter can be collected by Process
{ Of Law. Then people would not lend money
to e. lieutenant twenty-three years old
\ OF whose private affairs they arc igno-
rant They will not lend money to 81 civ
lillian who may have thrice the property
Of the lieutenant unless they Know y, eS-
factly who and what he Is, how his affairs
stand, etc, but the tradespeople fairly
crowd around an officer, because they
know that in most cases they Will get
their money, because otherwise the debtor
will lose his position. &&
All this would never have called the
attention to Lieutenant Blses book, but
the reflections made by one OF the char
5acters hit the German army hard, for
Lieutenant Bleibtreu casts doubt on the
comradery.
IF comrade Is going down hill; II he
shows that he is wanting in this charac-
terlstic or that. and he shows traits
which are disagreeable or painful to his
IL, rty >tfli fVH {fvt1n n
rance or defective education, he has done
something wrong and blameworthy, why
then at most he is spoken to about his
foible In the harshest way. Instead OF
approaching the matter In a kindly
friendly manner: instead of endeaYorlng
to heal the weaknesses Of his neighbor,
making allowance for his pecullarities
and comparing his faults with ones
own-oh no. one let's him lie where lie
has fallen and treats lin as q person
who is OF little or no good, as one. IN
fact, who does not belong to u.s. People
only shut their eyes when there IS stu
some profit to BIO got from the sinner
or when lie has made himself particularly
liked by reason Of other services ana ana
benefits.
| ,EIow much better Is the case OF a
ciylian! If he finds no true friend, vet
can no live his own life to himself With
out being forced to remain ut all meals
ana on all occasions in tho company OF
persons to whom lnwardly he y a
stranger, In the service It is an entirely
different affair"
This IS had enough In the eyes OF
those who consider the German army the
prop of society and tho only thing that
stands OFF socialism, but there Is worse 70
come. 8S tffl
'"rhc lieutenant often looks down with
scorn, or at least With a plying smile.
upon those who make themselves useful
~ Tia world by tho labor OF their hands
or nv mental activity. This folly Is the
curse Of the rank We hold In the Com
Imonwcalth. and Is calculated to separate
more and more the officer caste from the
pooplo. whereas tho opposite Is to be de-
| sired. For the people must deliver up It's
masculine Offspring into tho hands or NE
officers TO he educated. But II trust IN tsle
officer rank dwlndlcs more and more,
then The love OF the soldiers life and ths
| love of ones country, which goes Aana
| in hand with it, will be gradually DO
stroyed The officer should be more OK
crcised mentally. lie should be shown
what he lacks when compared 20 othsf
franks OF the people, and OF what adj
| VANTAGE these other ranks nre TO the
| State. Then he would learn to recognize
thankfully the prerogative and privileges
which no ono denies him, instead or see
1 Ing In them q reason for self sufticieney,
And In this fault may be3fo'lnd the root
OF others This is tho reason that 50
many officers do not recognize N our
| private soldiers tho coming defenders
OF the country and those comrades whom
they should encourage and bring for'
ward, Instead OF seeing In them the oc,,
caslon merely for endless labor anN
abundant veXatlon,"
In this abyss between the officer and
| private, Lieutenant B!se recognizes q
| strong ally OF socialism. Soldiers soon
! lose all interest In and love for the uni
form when they are pn1ustly treated o.
! unfairly worked, and as soon as lhey
z. leave the army they become socialists
4 through hatred OF the ranks their otil-
GERS represent The treatment Of SOL
diers by their superior officers IN this
| hook is brutal enough. Bilse Eeyer falls
to put the most boorish and vulgar LAM
guage In the mouths OF his characters
MI fa q