The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-03-09
ABUSE OF
GERMAN
SOLDIERS,

Rerl,n. March s-The matter OF the res
,rnation Of the hereditary Prince OF Sake
Meinlngen. brother-in-law Of Emperor
William. from the command OF the sixth
army corps. which followed the issuance
OF an order by the Prince. In which he ac-
vised private soldiers 10 lodge complaints
when they were ili-reated, came up In
the Reichstag yesterday during tho DIS
cussion OF the military budget.
Heinrich Ernst Mueller fFreisfnnige
member of the Reichstag from Meiningen)
pointed out that the remarks made last
week by Cen Won Einem, minister or
war when he denied that the Prince had
resigned or been dismissed from the
army, were worded in such a way as TO
mlslead public opinion.
"Can you disprove,V Herr Mueller asked
Gen. Won Einem. 'the statement which
was circulated by tho press that the
Prince received letter in the handwrit-
ing OF Emperor William demanding that
he revoke his order on the subject OF the
ill-treatment OF soldiers. and that there
upon the Prince handed IN his resignation ?
Official proof OF this exists In a Cabinet
order dated the very day on which HIS
Maiesty's letter to the Prince was written.
This order says that the demand made by
the Prince that soldiers be reminded OF
their duty to lodge complaints when III
treated should be rectifled to read Have
a right TO complain when ill-treated.' This
was the shsrpest kind OF disavowal OF the
Princes act
His removal caused the most painful
impression among the entire German peo-
pie and hundreds Of thousands OF people
now believe that any army officer who
tries energeucally TO stop the ill-treat-
ment OF private soldiers win be disci-
plined."
Herr Mueller further declared that In
| the Bavarian army there were many
| fewer cases of maltreatment than in
the Prussan army. explaining this state
ment by saying that the military courts
had long beeen held in public and that
| stringent measures against maltreatmeni
had been in force for several decades.
Herr Mueller went and described the
| discomfort existing among army officers
\ of civilian birth. saying they complained
OF the preference given members OF the
\ nobility i'm the matter of appointments
and advancement, and declared in con.
clusion:
Never before has there appeared such
unfavorable criticism of our military ad.
ministration as Is now being printed "
newspa pers Of all political parties"
To Herr Mueller General Won Einen
replied by FIRST reading verbatim his re
marks made on this matter March 4,
4 after which he said:
when Herr Mueller says that th'
| prince was dismissed because OF his gen
eral order against the ill-treatment OF sol
! diers / must answer that this is an un
disguised attack upon the highest office
i'm the army. He speaks as IL his ma
jesty had not proceeded personally witt
all possible energy against the ill-treat
ment OF soldiers, and as IL the empero
had dismissed this officer for acting Il
accordance with his own principles
Referring to the complaint that arm
officers belonging to the nobility wer
given preference over civilians, the min
lister of war said there were many officer
OF civilian origin in the general STAFF o
the ministry of war and that many regi
ments had officers without titles.