Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-09
LIGHT BATZERY on WY
70 DRZEZ

- OLDIgR boys came and con-
~ quered- conquered the hearts
OF the people. aroused patriot
- ism to highest pitch and in
cdentally during a week OF
- action at Fort Omaha. includ-
iA- uown-tOwn parade Thursday after
noon furnished the Ak-Sar-Ben carnival
It's most important. most patriotic and
most instructive feature
Throughout the week, splendid pro-
gram of military events and athletic stunts
was offered at the fort every afternoon,
and citizens OF Omaha joined thousands
or out-of-town visitors in packing the
grand stand to the very limit Never be-
fore in time Of peace was such interest
aroused concerning the army-never be-
fore was the army and the people brought
into such close touch, and never before
did the army do itself greater credit by
way Of clever maneuvering.
soldiers, soldiers, solders-they seemed
TO come into Omaha from every direction.
Big brawny, gallant fellows, the finest
types OF physical manhood. they made a
splendiP appearance BY reason of this
military tournament, the people Of the
Missouri valley know more about the army
than they ever knew before, aud as a
consequence thereof the public apprecia-
ton has been greatly increased.
The maneuvers at Fort Omaha during the
week far surpassed ordinary drills Take
the sham battles, for Instance. There. the
action was so realistic that even the most
phlegmauc spectator was aroused to en-
thusiasm. As the men. women and chill
dren In the grand stand watched the en-.
gineers build bridges under fire, as they
watched the agile regulars scale the wall
NJ ftaaaa
action and the cavalry dash, IL required
no abnormal stretch OF Imagination to
fancy that real war was under way. In
fact, Il was an absolutely faithful repro-
duction OF actual war. as war goes in these
days OF scientific fighting, with the one
exception that blank shells were substi-
tuted for deadly missiles.
Almost every maneuver known to army
life was given at Fort Omaha. BY way
OF variation from the grim war spectacle
shown In sham battle, there was the
beautiful and rythmio Butts manuaI-as
pretty drill as was ever staged In any
play house Fancy hundred Or more ath.
leuo soldiers, each standing alert anc
straight as prime Indian chief keepina
time to catchy music, with bayoneted gun
going through fancy motions that woulC
excite the envy Of a ballet master. tn,
CLINT of polished bayonet flashing I'm tn,
sunlight-fancy this, and you have a mint
picture OF Butts manual exhibition.
Monkey drills rescue races, signal corp.
exhibition drills artillery drills, cavalr,
drills, wall scaling and various other acu
OF war kept the vast audiences constantly
on the alert.
Visitors especially remarked the skill O
the cavalry as riders and the beauty and
ma l.. - 81.
gregation Of horseflesh was ever Assem-
hled and no more skillful horsemen evei
rode in the west.
The week at Fort Omaha was ,
week OF army triumph and a week O
matchless entertainment ard obstruction
for the thousands who attended. II would
be interesting co know just how many PEG
pie visited Fort Omaha during the week
Every day was big day. and every da!
the grandstRnd was packed and damned {,
the limit OF capacity.
General Smith. commanding. and Major
Burnham, chief of staff, along with vari
Gus other officers Of the Department of tn,
Missouri, executed the supervision with IN,
infalhble system and precision character
istio of United States army perfection, an,
the soldiers performed their various part
free from even the slightest biunder.
What a wonderful organization; wha
perfect systeml" many a spectator ex
claimed.
Thursdays parade was great-the Who'll
week was great at the fort-but the parad
came as a downtown pinnacle In a seaso
OF military triumph.
1t was Americas day in Omaha when a
feature OF the Ak Sar- Ben autumnal fet
the United States army moved through tn
heart OF the city, and no American cOul
view the impressive spectacle without
swelling wave OF pride and a re-kindln
of the patriotic embers which glow IN IN
breast of every country devoted citizen.
Tersely told, IL was an index pointing I
the mighty strength, perfect discipline an
physical magnifioence OF the United State
army. Not all OF the army was here, c
course, but it came 500 strong and mad
an impression that time will not easil
efface from the memory az those who Sd
or stood in review. There was a prett
blending OF the blue. made sacred b
tradition and the brown. which can
as a result OF the Spanish-Ameris
war-tWo colors marking plainly. ii
demarcauon betweeu~~the old army an
the new army II was a glimpse
army life which gave to the onlooker
further insight than could be obtained b
months OF reading. II was, first Of all,
patriotic, educational event, eXcelling b
far any similar military demonstration eve
attempted within the jurisdiction OF n
Department OF the Missouri, and as a n
suit OF the presence here Of the militar
an such numerical strength and the brinl
ing together Of so many different branch,
Of army service at a time when Omaha
packed with visitors from half doze
tributary states the United States arm
and the people OF the Missouri valley as
whole have been brought into closer r,
lauon than ever before-a realization {
comprehension which cannot fail 20 beg
revived patriotism and a clear appreois
ton OF the armys untold usefulness
this republic
The perfection Of German army disiplir
is matter OF worldwide comment an
Tho army Of Wilhelm has often bee
pointed out as the acme Of perfection