The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-29
GERMAN MILITARY SYSTEM
Situation in It's Relation to England as Vieved

When the green-coated inspector OF in
coming baggage looms into ones door on
the German frontier one realizes that
military system is paramount. With a
small-vizored cap with a broad peak. a
stern face. and a Hohenzollern. b-istling
n.ustache, he shouts out in stentorian
tones that the mighty fatherland wishes
TO inspect your belongings. Then he claps
his feet together. touches his hat, salutes,
and you feel that you are a major general
or potentate In disguise.
You realize that you are not In any or
binary land, but in a great military camp
and that you must step lively to the
beat Of the drum, the tread Of marching
/ feet, and the clatter OF the hoofs Of cav
airy horses. As I said before. you feel
/ that you are somebody from somewhere,
and your back begins to straighten up a
Ia soldat.
Army Everywhere Apparent.
But when you have settled yourself in a
German city you realize that although in
peace you are IN the midst Of var and
that at single blare OF the bugle thou
sand men in uniform will spring to their
guns and march TO the point Of danger IN
a moment. They are ready, alert, and
fully. prepared for a campaign at the drop
% a hat CHARTERED IN every city and
town OF any consequence. they can be
modified at a FIVE moments notice and
can be on the firing line as quickly as
trains and legs can carry them.
AS you walk down the streets sentries
stand In their little boxes. painted black
and white across. and present arms as an
officer passes. Soldiers wander by in uni
form, neat orderly, circumspect. Officers
With light blue coats and red collars
march past with serious countenances
! They carry their swords gingerly beneath
the tail Of their broad coats. and salute
with stiff. right-angled chOppy motion
whenever a common soldier presents his
gun. Whenever the same common soldier
passes by his superior Immediately his
face is rigidly set in the direction Of the
greater IN rank, while out go his feet IN
the old-time goose-step. Bang, bang.
I bang! come the soles OF his shoes on the
pavement as he passes by, and one can
not help feeling delighted that the gov
eminent has had foresight enough 10 pro
vide him with stiff-soled shoes. Then
the officers hand chops of his salute. and
the bluecoat sticks out his chin again to-
ward the direction IN which he is going,
and his less swing along In regular fash
ion. Ii is all over until the next time.
Soldiers I'm Evidence.
But this IS not the only view YOU get
OF the defenders OF the fatherland. They
are sitting at the little round tables Of
cafes whenever you enter one. With their
wives and sweethearts they are imbibing
great long beakers Of amber-tinted beer
and are listening 10 the braying OF some
orchestra or military band.
They are wandering through the parks
with their arms around the waists Of
their most dearly beloved. and they are
riding dock-tailed horses through the
winding mazes OF the Thiergarten and
other parks. Uniforms are In every
black-coated crowd, and uniforms make
pleasant-looking pe-sonages Of men who
apparently know how TO dress less at
tractlvely than any men OF European
countries and who could never by any
chance please the tailor's model OF even
a second-rate shop.
The German mans (out OF the army
dress is Joke. His hat is TOO small for
his head. his trousers bag at the knees.
his shoes look like the end mans in a
minstrel show. and when he wants 10 be
which makes him look like the proverbial
80 cents. Then he looks waxy and non
athletic, which is, no doubt. accounted