The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-08

NERMANY may most fifty be
termed the War Lords Realm
- for Emperor Wilhelm lives in an
atmosphere of military prowess and the
German soldier is a perfect automaton.
Probably the most superb specimens OF
humanity to be met with in Europe are
the German army officers whose bearing
is impressive and whose uniform is both
immaculate and becoming. This uniform
consists of a long pearl colored coat, with
silver buttons. high topped patent leather
boots and white glazed cap. The boots
always display a pair of glttering spurs
and the coat completely conceals the
sword except the handle which peers
through a slit in the garment.
Then, too, this officers face is always
ornamented with number of deep and
crisscrossed scars. which are the evidences
of frequent duels. Disfiguring as they
are these blemishes are highly priced by
the wearer and many of them are said to
have been obtained by self-mutilation.
In this respect, however, the student is
as remarked as the army officer and the
scars are the first OBJ cts which attract
the notice of visitors to Heidelberg or
other college centers of Germany. 1t is
claimed that insults are gratuitously Of
fered by the students in order to pro-
woke a duel that facial mutilation may
result and the participant who is most
severely slashed up is about as we'll sat
isfied as is the victor in the rencontre.
To us Americans it appears strange
that scars which are born to the grave
inflicted by the hand of ones fellow be-
ing should be source OF pride, but such
is the case in Germany where they are
regarded as indisputable witnesses of per-
sonal bravery.
The German soldier of the rank and
file is a machine man whose mechanism
Is as perfect as military training can
create. Most visitors to Berlin are IA
miliar with the famous goose-step of
which they obtain sight at the noon
mounting of the guard at the imperial
palace. 1t is the vogue to go through
the palace first and complete the visit
Just in time to assemble in the court
yard and watch the guard as it marches
in. The battalion starts from the Zeug
house about two blocks away on the I'm
ter den Linden and marches to the palace
preceded by a full band of music. AS
soon as the soldiers pass under the I'M
perial portal they employ the goose step
which is always provocative of intense
amusement ON the part of the spectators
to whom it is new. 1t is claimed that
the movement was introduced of the
march and while at first sight it appears
absurd one soon grows to admire it;
after which the ordinary step of our own
army appears tame. The goose step con-
sists In throwing the leg straight out
from the hip and pointing the toe to the
ground 1t Is virile, it Is martial and it
is impressive.
1t has been my good fortune to witness
4 number Of military reviews of the
standing armies of various foreign ma
tons.
1 saw President Loubet of France re-
view his visiting majesty's. the Edward
VII of England 10000 French cavalry and
felt the ground tremble under the hooves
of the host of charging steeds: 1 saw the
same monarch review 10000 Of his own
men at Aldershot and shall never for
get the occasion. The review ground
is in the center of huge natural basin
and standing upon the rim thereof one
commands a superb view of the entire
arena The most impressive feature of
the review was the swinging into the
arena of the Scotch Highlanders whose
brilliantly colored kits in the glorious
sunshine contrastsd magnificently with
the intense green of the grassy campus
Then again the immaculate, white COW
erings of the new army baggage wagons
moving In the distance was as the ap-
pr0Ach of an immense fleet of snowy can
vas sails They We're bewlderng in
their brightness and they reminded me
of innocence-they were SO pure and so
far away.
But the most imposing of these re-
, views was that of the Emperor of Ger
many at PotSdam. Here 4c,00O men
marched before the imperial stand and in
their movements they were as a single
Individual. The goose step was in evil
dence and the salute of the officers was
unique and impressive, instead of present.
ing the extended sword blade as in our
army, the unsheathed weapon was held
perpendcularly high above the head or
the saluting officer, the attitude being
most decidedly statuesque.
fe. o1rr iv,1f, Si fn hn
manoeuvres of the cavalry upon this oc-
casion. For this purpose several hundred