The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-12
GREATEST MIMIC WARS
The Kaiser ManeuvreS That
Show Germany's Power.
A PREPARATORY WORK

lists Are Called out-Equipment -
Novel Aids to the Armies-"one
viii; My WILL"
Every one knows the German En-.
peror is master of 5,000,0OO fighting
men--a vast army keyed to an amaz-
ing pitch of perfection, and selected
from a whole empire In arms. That
army is the most Formidable fighting
force the world ever saw, and its
practical efficiency is tested once q
year in the month of September For
the great aim, says Gen. Won Einem,
the Prussian Minister of War, is TO
be ready before the need arises to use
our weapons
At the same time It is erroneous
to suppose the Kaiser himself works
out the scheme of the maoeuvres or
that he retains supreme command.
The Emperor's functions are those
OF a supreme umpire-in-chief, who
passes final verdict on the perfor-
nance of all troops and criticlses de-
fects with merciless severity. But
long before September minor sections
of the huge machine are being exer-
cised, that they may know their part
when called upon. Young Lieuten-
ants barely out of their teens are or
dered to lead sub-sections Of compan-
les out into the open country and
take them against imaginary enc
mics
The great September operations are
known as the Kaiser manoeuvres. be-
cause the emperor always supervises
them in person as Commander-in-
Chief of the army. Mobilization or
ders are issued precisely as they would
be If France or Russia they would
be accommodated pending their march
to the front in real warfare. They
are next entrained and conveyed to
the various military centres. The
railroads in Germany are all State
property, so that the military authori-
ties may retain controlling grip on
them. Even the freight cars have all
been measured in advance, and bear
on their sides figures showing the
number of soldiers and horses they
will take.
The march to the railroad station,
the actual entraining and the second
march from the terminus 10 the ap-
pointed camp are all done with math-
ematical precision; for II Is the boast
of Germany that she can place a
completely equipped army OF half a
million men on any frontier within
twenty four hours. Tents are erected
as though by magic and the camps
laid hygienically, according TO plans
long laid down. Each man carries
among his other impediments a piece
of canvas about yard and half
square, two ten pegs; a tent stick in
three pieces to support the roof, and
cords
When the right time comes these
canvas squares are buttoned together
the peg stuck in the ground, and ths
sticks Joined up to form the ridge
pole. Then when couple of dozen
pieces have been deducted for officers
and non-coms, the men creep into
what is left and sleep packed like sar-
dimes. Thus this tent system Is elas-
tic. Two men can form a shelter. or
an entire company may unite their
sections.
The hour OF reveille varies between
midnight and in the morning. II
there is time the regiment will boil
its coffee, but II not every man
munches his bit of schwarzbrot con-
tentedly and marches OFF. Singing
Is encouraged for the men who sing
on the march can go further and
fight better than those who do not.
At the close of each days opera
tons the Kaiser summons his prin-
cipal officers around him and delivers
to them lecture on the lessons ana
warnings to be gained from the days
experience Mistakes are mercilessly
exposed by the imperial expert, who
expounds intricate questions Of mill
tary strategy in way that reveals a
complete mastery of the subject.
Moreover the Emperor speaks with
considerable oratorical charm.
On certain occasions, however,
when the Kaiser has had entire COM
mand of an army OF. his own, he has
suffered crushing defeat, despite his
absolute mastery OF strategy and tac-
tics. This is mainly due to his love
OF spectacular effect, On one mem
orable occasion In the Rhineland,
wnen the Emperor was in command
OF an army, he suddenly found him
self entirely surrounded by a great
opposing force under General Count
Haeseler, and in real warfare should
have been entirely annihilated. II is
said that Gen, Haeseler's success, and
the embarrassing position in which
he put his imperial master has led
to his being in disfayor at court ever
since.
AL agreed that for blind obedience
to orders and unfinching courage
the German soldier is unsurpassed.
He cannot think for himself however.
He obeys a command mechanically,
but is unable to vary It an finch
though his life depended OF It. '"The
soldier" declared the German Em-
peror In one OF his battlefield perora-
tions last year, should not have a