Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01
NOT ALL OF ONE MIND
Some Critics Doubt Germany's
Superiority Over France.
COMPARISON OF ARMIES
Kaiser's Fighters Not as Well
Trained as Those Of France.
SUMMARY OF THEIR DEFECTS
Sir Hedworth Lambton Of British
Navy Now Known as Sir He'd
worth Meux.
SUMMARY OF THEIR DEFECTS
Foreign Correspondents Of The Star.

worth MeuX.
Foreign Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON, September 20. 1911
Ninety-nine out Of q hundred Germans
and probably nine out Of ten other Euro
peans are so hypnotized by talk Of Teu-
tonic superiority that they consider II an
already decided fact that Germany can
beat France in arms. The French, It
is assumed. admit 1t so readily that they
would resist no German demand were 1t
not that they expect a British feet to
restore the disturbed balance.
This begging of a complicated question
is likely to result injuriously for France
by depriving her hackers Of confidence.
and for that reason IL ought to be noted
that German victory In a struggle with
France alone is not regarded as a GER
tainty by some very good German judges.
Leaving financial and economic factors
out Of account, many Germans dread de-
feat on the ground that Frances army
has during the last decade made immeas-
urably faster progress than their own.
One Of the severest critics of the Ger
man army Is the well known publicist.
Col. Gaedke, who knows II from within.
SIdoOke also KNOWS thoroughly the con-
ditionS OF other continental armies-he
last year was present at the British
maneuvers-and Is q good judge. though
discredited in official circles because he
dares to controvert official views. He Is
Of opinion that the German army is by
no means as efficient as Is believed by
outsiders. He does not allege positive de-
terioration, but he holds that the officers
staff Is not up-to-date. and affirms that
Of late French officers have made I'm
measurably greater progress.
The French, he holds. are better train
ed and pay more attention to their du-
ties. Germans have tended to live on
their reputation. Gaedke's criticisms OF
German army training. feeding and cloth
ing (the last particularly. the boots being
admittedly inferior) have appeared In
scores Of articles. which have earned
him the kaiser's disapproval and the
thanks Of independent Germans, even of
many who think his censures too strong.
True and False Patriotism.
What we have not and want Is free
criticism" This is the complaint OF an
other military critic OF Germany's army.
who published a brochure under the title.
"Echte und Cneohte Vaterlandsliebe"
ttrue and false patriotism). The author
Of this work. which is printed anony-
mously, is known to be a pensioned MEM
last year. He says that Germany has
everything to fear in a general war.
and explains why.
Our army is in an extremely bad way.
owing to the exaltation Of material. drill.
regulations routine and regimental in
spections above spirit and battle training
What that means we learned hundred
years ago. Frederick the Great left be-
hind an unconquerable army, and, there
fore. his material drill regulations rou.
tine and regimental inspections were as.
sumed by the stupid men who followed
him to be the secret OF his triumphs The
practical reduction OF Prussia to a Sec
ond-rate French province. We were
beaten by the French Revolutionary
hordes and by Napoleons soldiers. who
in material, drill and routine were far
inferior to us. The French were not good
soldiers. but they were good fighters. and
that counted for more
To-day we have the external equipment
and precise methods which gained ue
Gravelotte and Sedan. But We have moth
ing new. There Is no guarantee that We
are stronger than France. This time We
shall not have to go with French revo-
lutionary hordes or with the undisciplined
army Of Napoleon III. but with san army
Sums Up the Defects.
This critic sums up the defects Of the
owing to too great dependence upon the
court The kaiser's military cabinet.
which is a private institution not men
toned In the laws, has to a large extent
superseded the general staff.''
The dominance OF MOBILES Here we are
At a great disadvantage with France.
whose every soldier in a literary sense
carries a marshars baton in his KNAPP
sack
Anticipated drill and battle practice.
Our generals have persistently refused to
profit from the battle experience Of recent
years. The last war that counts, they
affirm pragmatically. is the war OF
Defects in officers training. too much
regimental staff work. defects in spirits
Of men. The discipline is good, but the
socialist element is reliable only In case
Of uninterrupted success" These head
ings give an idea OF this retired officer 8
criticism.
Still stronger criticism comes from an
Austrian officer. Capt. Krohek. who writes
OF his country's ally in extremely trench
ant terms. In his book on New and
Old Foreign Policy he says:
MY own opinion after studying Ger
maneuvers is that Austria Is tied up with
a very doubtful ally. In externals the
German army is. as 1t always was. far
superior to ours. but by virtue OF numbers
is a stronger power than We. But IL
Germany the first military power. or Is
France? The French have marked ad-
vantages. The first is far superior ar
tillery. the second 10 lighter and better
clothing. the third Is better marching,
which has always been got out OF the
wiry French infantrymen; the fourth 10
better battle training. The last results
from the fact that the French generals
are men Of obscure origin, who have
grown up untrammeled by education In a
military circle. and who have approached
tactical problems with open minds. Ger
many's generals belong to hereditary
military caste which is invulnerable
against ideas, and the officers know from
the first that their promotion depends
upon their showing no revolutionary
spirit, and upon their leaving things as
they are
I'm this" says Capt. Krohek. even
Austria is far ahead of Germany. He
gives tables to show how the middle class
and petite bourgeoisie" I'LL Austria's
officers cadres. and adds: TT is still bet
ter in France. The. popular army will
haot the caste army"