The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-06-19
.OBED|tNT SOLDIERS,
An Illustration Of Military Disci-
pine IN Germany.
A JOKE TAKEN IN EARNEST,

The story IN Ensiish~an Tells 81 IN
Amusing incident In Which He Par
tioipatsd During Visit % che Dat.
tissssid - We~th.
The docility and bind obedienco OF
the German soldier have long bse1 an
object Of comment. The Germans
themselves recognize that 4t sometimes
lishman, writing In the London Times.
describes an amusing incident which
occurred after he had spent q day
ira mping about the battlefield of
Worth. He was dressed. 1t should be
noted, In regular civilian clothes and
carried an umbrella:
Emerging from q wood. I came upon
plot OF grass where about q dozen
German soldiers were resting. The
spirit moved me to stop and speak
to these men-emphasizing my mean
ing by signs when my scant German
vocabulary failed me.
1 asked. "Are you Prussians?' The
Indignant answer, In chorus. was: mo!
Saxons.'
"Oh." said l. wishing to conciliate.
81 am Angio-Saxon."
Much to my establishment. one Of
them got up ard 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 Ave minutes standing
that 1 had made the grand tour Of the
battlefield on foot and had been walk.
ing since 8 O'Clock in the morning. II
then being 8 in the afternoon.
Quite casually I remarked that al.
though mot military. but naval Of
ficer." the study Of battlenelds inter.
ested me.
At the mention Of the word "o6ncer'
all the men sat up. buttoned their tn
MICS and buckled on their swords o.
bayonets-I forget which.
Are you going to Niederhfonn p wal
my next question.
Eyes," they replied: I'VE are going ID
walk to Niederbronn and there take
the train to Bitsch."
What evil genius prompted me t.
make the next remark cannot tell
but although uttered in joke its con
sequences were perfectly astounding.
II, too. am going to Niederbronn
You are my regiment. I am your colo
nel.'
Up they sprang to their feet, fell II
two deep and kept quite silent as II OF
parade. Right turn and OF w
marched, I carrying my umbrella ~ Il
It were 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 q solitary sol
dier Of the same regiment lying a
full length on a 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 hi
tunic. buckled on his weapon. stoot
rigidly at attention and when the reg
iment" came by tailed on" as II 4
was the most natural thing In tn,
world to do.
Please note that not a word passed
between the main body and the re
enforcement. vi cutcx1uB INC WVO~
the leading hle began to sing q march
ing song, the others joining In chorus
BY this time we were nearing Nieder
bronn and passed q man and his wife
who were evidently much astonishet
to see a disciplined body Of mel
marching in strict military fashion IN
der the command Of q foreigner arme<
with an umbreila-not even Q silk one
A disconcerting thought arose
what will happen II we chance across
a German ofncer. and how. In my
broken German. can ever hope to ex
plain this extraordinary assumption o
command Of the forces Of the kaiser ?
So without a moments further della!
I said to the men, IT must 90 to m,
hotel. which Is over there" and bad,
them goodby.
These docile and amiable Saxon
with one accord. taking time BY th'
leading file. saluted, and I, having n
turned their salute, got out Of sight q
rapidly AZ possible. On peeping rount
the corner Of a house there was N!
late regiment" still marching Will
the regularity Of clockwork.