Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-11
ARMY OF THE KAISER
Regarded as Most Perfect 49,
gregation in the World.
NUMBERS 623, 1000 FIGHTERS
Maintenance Last Year Cost the Gov
eminent $500, 100000.
ALL MEN OBLIGED TO SERVE
Compulsory Duty and Conscript Sys-
tenn Defended by Emperor Upon
Educational Grounds.
NUMBERS $4,000 FIGHTERS
ALL MEN OBLIGED TO SERVE
BY WILLIAM Z. CHRIS


Germany is supposed to be better pre
pared for war than any other nation
and the German army is supposed to be
more perfect than any other military or
sanization. 1t cost 500, SOC, 600 last year
to support it. according to the budget,
but other expenses not included in that
statement bring the total up to $3.50, 900, :
OOO, which has been the average for the
last ten years The German emperor
takes the ground that it is better to
spend the money in maintaining an army
mat cannot be whipped than to risk a
war which would be more expensive. He
believes that his army is as near perfect
as human brains and authority can make
1t, that when he gets his navy up to a
corresponding standard Germany will be
immune from attack
The regular German army on a peace
footing numbers $4,000 men and 111,S2O
horses. OF these about 100000 are in
fantry, about 10000 are cavalry and the
balance are artillery and in the several
staff corps. Behind >this regular stand
ing army is reserve or landwehr of
four million trained men between the
ages OF twenty-one and thirty years. who
are called out for drill and exercise
tWenty-eight days in each year, and be-
hind them are the landsturm, or home
defense forces" numbering 1900, 600 men
between the ages Of thirty and forty-five
who are expected to go into camp for
exercise and drill fourteen days in the
year. This makes a total Of 1870, 900
men available for war. To equip them, in
case they should be needed, there are
500 field guns, 100000 carbines and
rifles of the patterns of 1898 and 1908,
with range Of 1000 and 300 yards;
0OOO,OOO revolvers, automatic pistols and
other small arms, and a CORRESPONDENTS
number OF sabers and other weapons.
Supplies Are Ample.
The warehouses of the quartermaster's
department are stored with clothing
and shoes; at headquarters is list of
4,34o,OOO horses available for military
purposes, and the names Of the people
they belong to, with a record of their
age. There is also list of 41727 auto
mobiles of all patterns and sizes, and
52,OOO motorcycles. The commissary de-
partment has more than 1000 motor
kitchens in working order, and the en-
glneers have LOO wireless outfits al
ready for use at moments notice Just
now the aeronautic science is attracting
the attention of the German military au-
thOrities, and they are doing more than
any other nation in an experimental as
well as a practical way 10 develop the
poses. During the next year the Ger
man government will spend several mill
ions Of dollars for that purpose, and If
the appropriation committees of our
Congress will listen attentively to Secre-
tary Dickinson he will tell them all
about it,
There is not the slightest probability
that We shall ever have a war with Ger
many. 1t is uncomfortable that such
thing should happen. There is not the
,1f<.rx4 @l-t~:
war with any nation. unless we pro-
woke it ourselves. as we did in 1898. when
a little more patience and a little less
stock speculation, a little more patriot
ism and little less politics, would have
enabled President Mckinley to solve the
Cuban problem without firing a shot.
But, at the same time, as long as we
have an army we ought to have good
one. When he was over here Secretary
Dickinson learned many important
things that a Secretary of War should
know, and it is to be hoped that Con-
Service Is Compulsory.
Military service in Germany is compul-
sorry and universal: liability commences
at the age of seventeen and actual serv-
ice at twenty. The term of service is
seven years, three years in the ranks
ticallv it is two years in the ranks and
five i'm the reserve.
Last year 1,1S9.S45 conscripts were ex-
amined, of whom more than one-half
were rejected or excused for various rea-
sons: 435,933 were Incorporated into the
military forces and 1O.374 into the naval
forces. All of the conscripts accepted
were between twenty and twenty-five
years of age. and only one out of 200 or
one-half of one per cent. could not read
or write. This is remarkable record,
and a decided change from the statistics
of illiteracy several years ago.
The German emperor defends the con-
script system and compulsory service on
grounds as we'll as military
necessity, and considers it an important
Half million green. awkward. unam-
bilious boys are taken from the fields
every year as raw material. and after
two or three years of service are con-
They are taught to think as we'll as to
act: physical development is one Of the
first considerations. and they are taught
a sense of responsibility as well as self
possession and other qualities which are
deemed important to all men. He de-
clares that the German army is the best
school in the world and the best factory
ever invented for converting raw human
material into finished citizens.
The non commissioned officers are con-
army. AS much attention is paid to their
selection and education as to that of the
commissioned officers.
Schwan's Report Commended.
l have been told several times that the
best description of the organization of
the German army was written by Gen
Theodore Sclwan of the United States
Army in a report made to the Secretary
of War several years ago. My attention
has been called to it repeatedly by Ger
man officers from whom l have sought
information.
why don't you read Schwan's re-
port?' they will say. HE tells more
about the German army than any Ger
man officer knows. An artillery officer
may know his own corps and a quarter
master may know his part of the bust
ness but neither will know anything
about the business of the other, while
complete, accurate and thorough descrip-
ton of the different branches of the
service. Being of German birth himself.
he was better able to appreciate and
understand the German motive and pur-
pose than an American would be able
to do"
Gen. Schwan points out the weaknesses
as well as the strength of the German
system. and his criticisms have been
carefully studied by the military author
tiles OF Germany.
Gen. Schwan is of the opinion that
one of the strongest features of the
German system is the education of
non-commissiOneG officers, and he says:
AS rule n-commissioned officers
are appointed from suitable men who
have fe-enlisted with a view to their
hi