The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-03-30
.OBEDIENT SOLDIERS.
An Illustration Of Military Discl-
pIine In Germany.
A JOKE TAKEN IN EARNEST.

The Story an Enalishman Tells Of an
Amusing incident In Which He Par
tIcipated During Wsit to ahs Bat
tlefield of Worth.
The docility and blind obedience Of
the German soldier have long been an
object of comment. The Germans
themselves recognize that 1t sometimes
goes so far as to be absurd. An Eng
lishman, writing In the London Times,
describes an amusing incident which
occurred after he had spent day
tramping about the battlefield Of
Worth. He was dressed, it should be
noted, in regular civilian clothes and
carried an umbrella:
Emerging from wood, came upon
a plot of grass where about dozen
German soldiers were resting. The
spirit moved me to stop and speak
to these men-emphasixing my mean
ing by signs when my scant German
vocabulary failed me.
1 asked, "Are you PrussiansT The
indignant answer, in chorus, was; mol
Saxonsv'
"Oh," said I, wishing to conciltate,
81 am Anglo-Saxon."
Much to my establishment one OF
them got up and shook me warmly by
the hand. Pointing to my dusty boots
and flannel shirt, unbuttoned at the
neck. / then, in vile German, explained
to my friends Of five minutes standing
that / had made the grand tour Of the
battlefield on foot and had been walk
ing since o'clock in the morning, 1t
then being In the afternoon.
Quite casually remarked that al
though mot military, but naval Of
ficer," the study Of battlefelds inter
ested me.
At the mention Of the word Officer
all the men sat up, buttoned their tu-
MICS and buckled on their swords or
bayonets-I forget which
"Are you going to NiederbronnT was
my next question.
eyes," they replied; 1--WE are going to
walk to Niederbronn and there take
the train to Bitsch."
What evil genius prompted me to
make the next remark l cannot tell,
but although uttered in joke its con-
sequences were perfectly astounding.
81. too, am going to Niederbronn.
You are my regiment. ! am your colo
nelv'
Up they sprang to their feet, fell In
two deep and kept quite silent as II on
parade. Fright turn?' and on we
marched, carrying my umbrella as II
It were n sword.
Breasting a grassy slope, we marched
up to the top at swinging pace, still
observing perfect silence and In step.
A short distance OF was a solitary sol
der of the same regiment lying at
full length on bench near the en-
trance to a wood-tunic unbuttoned,
sword unbuckled. and so forth.
On catching sight of the approaching
SQUAD up he jumped. buttoned his
tunic buckled on his weapon, stood
rieidly at attention and when the reg
iment" came by tailed on" as If II
was the most natural thing in the
world to do.
Please note that not word passed
between the main body and the re-
enforcement. On entering the wood
the leading file began to sing march
ing song, the others joining in chorus
| By this time we were nearing Nieder
bronn and passed man and his wife
who were evidently much astonisheo
to see a disciplined body Of mer
marching in strict military fashion IN
der the command of a foreigner armed
with an umbrella-not even silk one
A disconcerting thought arose
"What win happen If we chance across
/ a German officer, and how, in my
broken German, can | ever hope to ex
plain this extraordinary assumption Of
command Of the forces of the kaiserr
So without a moments further delay
7 said to the men, Il must go to my
hotel. which is over there" and badt
i them goodby.
These docile and amiable Saxon'
with one accord, taking time by thu
leading file, saluted, and 1, having re
turned their salute, got out Of sight a.
rapidly as possible. On peeping rount
the corner of a house there was m!
late regiment still marching VIII
the regularity of clockwork.