The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-03-27
Foreign News Features Cabled From Across the Seas


an the bearer of a title.
Never a week now goes by with
out the official "ReichbOte" pro-
claiming dozens of undistinguished
personages field marshals, grand
admirals or mobiles, and announc-
ing the fall of a meteoric shower
of orders, decorations, stars and
medals upon honest but obscure
individuals whose only claim to
distinction is that they have a
friend in the kaisers own circle
Protest after protest has been
made, and without the slightest re-
suit. On this subject the kaiser
is not to be moved.
GERMANY OFTEN ASTONiSHED
A few months ago Germany
was astonished by the report that
the Grand Duke of Baden and the
hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meinin-
gen had been made field marshals.
Both are just ordinary, average
officers who have never yet caught
glimpse of active service, and
who, but for their official rank,
would probably be doing garrison
duty in some little country town.
On soldiers of this type the high
est honor in the power of the
kaiser to confer has been bestow-
ed.
The army is seething with in
dignation. 1t is complained that
the source of honor has been trans
ferred from the battlefield to
Potsdam. Wilhelm H." say the
malcontents, Cannot resist gilt.
ter, and, having no chance of own
ing real battle made field marshals
and grand admirals, persists in
creating them for no service at
ALL"
ARMY is GREATLY ANNOYED
But the cheapening of the title
of field marshal annoys not only
the army but Germany as whole.
Throughout Europe this rank is
invaribly associated with real war
and real victory, and royalties
themselves never take it unless
they have held actual chief COM
mand in victorious campaigns.
Even the great Wilhelm l., who
fought on a dozen hard won fields,
never aspired to the title. Up to
the time of the Franco-German
war Germans only had one idea of
a field marshal, and that Butcher.
Not until Moltke cleared up the
entire campaign did anyone think
of comforting the title upon him.
LIKES TITLES ALL ABOUT HIM
The present kaiser soon chang
ed all this. He liked to be sur
rounded by warriors with high
sounding titles. Numbers of in
significant generals were promptly
promoted to the rank of field mar
shall, and at the present time there
are at least half dozen of them
who have never even commanded
a battalion in battle.
The kaiser, of course, nominated
himself for the rank. Not content
with this, he even accepted the
post of field marshal in the Aus
trian army. although Austria cher
ished the title so highly that after
the death of the great Albrecht
ten years ago she had not sin
gle field marshal.
The result of all this cheapening
of high sounding titles is that the
titles themselves have lost all
meaning. Today a German field
marshal may be created from a
lieutenant general. The common
joke in the army now is that a
new rank will have to be created
-"over field marshal" or some
thing of this kind.
ALSO HAS MANY ADMIRALS
Exactly the same course has
been pursued with officers of the
fleet. Thirty years ago Germany
possessed only one admiral-Prince
Albert. Since his time the fleet
has increased enormously, but in
nothing like the same rate as the
number of admirals. At such a
rate did they increase that at last
the kaiser had to invent new
title-"grand admiral rank
borrowed from Turkey At first
there was only one grand admiral
Won koester-but now Prince
Henry of Prussia has been given
the title. and it is expected that
it will soon be as common as that
of field marshal