Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-08
Things You Want to Know 3: e: s e:$'r r.:;

practically no coast line and II does not
possess a single first class port The Ger
man people are and always have been land
ubbers. But that does not prevent the
German merchant marine being the best
afloat and It does not prevent the German
navy being the most highly organised fleet
In existence.
Yet II is difficult to believe that the grow
ing German navy Is intended altogether for
purposes OF protection. Germany would feel
but slightly blockade Of its own ports OF
Bremen and Hamburg compared to how
much II would suffer from a blockade OF
Antwerp and Rotterdam. The power 70
control the mouth Of the Rhine ls the
power to throttle German industry. AS long
as Belgium and Holland control these great
ports Germany need not fear hostile action
from those two small countries. In fact
they would be forced TO submit to German
dietation In everything IL It were not that
they have the moral support of England
and the potential backing OF the British
navy. When the German navy becomes
sufficiently strong to make the issue o. a
contest with tho British navy doubtful thon
1t no longer viii be possible for Belgium
and Holland always to command effective
British support. II IS within the realm OF
possibility that the new German navy will
be able TO secure for Germany the economic
II not tho political control of the much COW
eted Low Countries. From the German
point OF view nothing could be more de-
sirable
| The supreme influence of the German
military training thus reflected in the or
binary life Of the people Ia much moro
apparent In the army itself The state
demands the complete service Of every
l
| tive OF state authority. insists that abject
and complete obedience to him is the re-
| ligious duty not only of soldiers actually
under his command, but OF all civilians
with whom he may happen to come in CON
| tact. ...t
| Officers always wear their uniforms. and
as they are legion one sees on the streets
OF every city the concrete examples OF
what the German military sy stem Is able
to produce. Here civilians step off the
sidewalk to permit these gorgeousy clad
beings to pass. An officer in a tramcar
may jostle the civilians, and step on their
toes at his pleasure, and the civilians
win do nothing more than beg his pardon.
But woe unto the luckless wight who
should happen to step on the privileged toe
of an officer In uniform II would be an.
insult to the army
| Officers have the best seats In restaurants
and insist upon their privilege OF being
served first although they came last Two
or three young lieutenants will swagget
into cafe and, by hook or crook, will
compel every person there to acknowledge
In some form or other the tremendous SUI
periority Of lleutenants over mere human
beings. This goes on until, perhaps, a coli
onel comes in, and then the three lieuten-
ants become three rigid. silent, humble
representatives of the German ideal soldier.
paying homage to the greatness OF coll
onel while the mere people gasp for
breath. ..
An American cannot help thinking that
with their overbearing officers. and their
present soldiers, the German people would
tire of military show and ceremony. The
imperial guard is changed at the emperor
palace in Berlin every day at noon, and II
would be difficult even for. New York 70
furnish larger crowd OF gaping spectators
for an annual show than does Berlin for
this daily ceremonial. It is a little bit be-
! yond the power Of an American mind to
grasp the thought. but 1t is a fact, never
, theless that the Germans not only toll
crate their army and all 1t stands for, but
t they actually like 1t.
, In society an army officer is superior
[ to all other persons Every wealthy com
, moner lives only in the hopes that his
! money will be sufficient to buy an officer
to wed his daughter. Every mother hopes
) that her son one day VIII be an officer II
} the army. Every father Apologies II hi
, son is forced to choose some other pro
! fession. The army is everything. Army
discipline peryades every form of German
: life and every institution Of the German
state rests upon the foundation Of the su
) premacy OF the army.
Y ax FBEDEEIc j. HAsxIN.
Tomorrow-The German Advance. W.
8 The Army Organization.