The Washington herald., 1911-10-20
SECRET OF GERMAN
ARMY'S VICTORIES

demonstrated once more that, though the
great frederick is dead a long time, his
influence still lives in the iron discipline
which is the backbone of the German
army of to-day. The men must" be
taught that without a uniformed su-
perior OF some kind to hold them to-
gether, they are as helpless as a flock Of
sheep without a shepherd.
Individually the German soldier is
fine fellow, who bears his lot with pa
tience. The men, especially in the guard
regiments, are tall and generally Of fine
physique and cheerful bearers OF their
heavy knapsacks. He does look a trifie
heavy for long sustained marching or
rapidity of moving. He has none of the
gayety or catlike agility of the French
'piou piou." The latter, with his shorter,
quick step, his heart full Of fun, given an
equal lead to carry on his back, would
without difficulty out-march any soldier
that wears the uniform of the Kaiser.
A point, however, in favor of the
German legions is that they are cred
tied with possessing no nerves. nor any
Of that so very highly strung temper
ament peculiar to the Latin races. The
soldier who develops nerves." brave
though he be at other times, is not
much use to his commander on a firing
line. Holding on to a position and lying
perhaps for hours exposed to a CALLING
1re which carries off comrade after
comrade, the imagination OF the high
ly-Strung soldier will begin to work;
the terrible mental strain, hardly less
severe than the physical, will tell in
the long run, and II the ordeal be pro-
longed sufficiently, he will collapse in
the end, and will not bother further
about playing his part in the fight. This
IS probably why the Russian soldier,
who is as unimaginative as any man
Of his class in Europe, makes such an
excellent fighter. He is stubborn and
full Of dOgged courage. Put him on
firing line and bullets might fall about
him all day doing their deadly work on
every side of him, but the survivors
would never murmur, and they would
not stir without orders. The Russian
soldier in Manchuria unfinchingly
faces and accepts with stoicism the
most fearful punishment. No amount
of Japanese shell and rife fire could
stampede a Russian regiment OF sea-
soned troops. In this respect the Ger
man is said to be more akin to the
Russian than is the Frenchman.
But on this head it is difficult to insti-
tute comparisons which would get at
the truth. We all know that the French
soldier in Tonkin, China. Algeria, and
Morocco has proved himself a worthy
descendant OF the 'VieuX grognards' of
the great Napoleon's rugged and ragged
legions who carried the tricolor in tri-
umph across Egypt and from one end
OF Europe to the other. Whereas, on
the other hand. the German soldier for
over forty years has not been called
upon TO face anything more deadly than
blank cartridges during maneuver times.
The French army stands on the demo-
cratic basis; one finds there esprit de
corps, and a feeling OF bon camaraderie
exists between officers and men. With
the French soldier 1t is invs riably Mon
Capitaine," and with the company COM
mander. addressing his men off parade.
il is always Mes enfantS." The French
captain stands in the relation OF a
father, strict, but not unkind. TO his SOL
diers.
In Germany there is a wide social and
professional gulf separating officers from
their mon. Personal devotion is not the
impelling power employed in the Ger
man army. A plentiful supply OF pictur-
esque and highly-COlored abuse has re-
placed the cane of Frederick the Greats
myrIlidOns.
The favorite terms Of endearment of
the officers in addressing their men are
"sChweinhund' and "escl." Abuse is
the daily lot Of the German private from
his corporal and officer. This part OF
the system is warmly defended by the
kaiser's uniformed aUtoCrats. 1t Is not
meant at all unkindly. they hasten TO
point out, and they will tell you that
they can get more out of their subord-
mates by clubbing them 'thundering
asses" for example, than the French
officer can obtain from his men with his
fatherly, sentimental Mes enfants."
Each TO his taste. Time alone will show
whether severity or strictness tempered
by kindness will produce more gratifying
results in the event of the armed hosts
Of France and Germany encOunterinS
each other in battle.
The German recruits are much better
educated. on the whole, than they were
twenty years ago. Socialism is spread
ing. and therefore the recruits OF to-
day do not take as kindly to the "dra-
goOning" Of the drill sergeants as did
their fathers. Trifiing offenses OF the
soldier are punished with severity, and
their uniformed taskmasters carry the
hazing of recruits to lengths that
would not he tolerated in any other
country OF Europe. Even II complaint
be made and the offender brought to
book. his punishment. at most, will be
a snort detention in a fortress, a pleas
ant and very agreeable form of rest
cure. But the system" says such
treatment is absolutely necessary. In
some of the crack regiments. which
pride themselves upon their smart
ness" notably the Guards, the corps
d'elite" of the Fatherland, there are
officers whose harsh methods have
made their names notorious even in
military ridden Germany. They are
even detested by the better class of
their officer comrades. And yet these
martinets are tolerated by the higher
authorities. because they are looked
upon as zealots who, in the perform
ance of their duty. can whip regi-
ment into shape quicker than those
who employ milder methods. Their su
poriors are aware of the danger these
unpopular officers run from their own
men, and II has been arranged with
the quartermaster general and the STAFF
that in the event of war they are to
be promptly transferred to other regi-
ments. The reason is obvious.
FLANEUR.
Copyright 1911. by Court Gossip syndicate.)
Senator Stephenson as an Employer
From the Chicago Recurd-Herald.
Il am president OF more than dozen