New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-15
Straining the Tradition of German
Military Efficiency.

tho "Staats.Zeitung" a series Of articles in EnsHsn
entitled The War situation Day by Day Iha'
is sensible move. since It will open TO Ens'lSn
speakinc readers here source Of German news
and opinion. and make 1t possible to compare pro
German comment and criticism with the comment
ard criticism in the American newspapers printer
in English. Of the "unfairness" OF which man!
German. Americans complain.
Judging from the tone and matter Of the hrS'
article we think Il will be found that there Is not
a very serious clash between the comments OF MI
Ridder and those Of the more intelligent writers
~ the pon.German press. The same facts have
n he dealt with-and from the same sources
and the comment discloses only very natural
variation in the point Of view. We are glad 20
quote this interesting extract from Mr. Ridder
article:
What NAV prove to be the greatest war in the history
Of mankind. There is no reason to assume tnat -
r,snv will win any more than that II IS foregohe
conclusion that the allies will deteat the German
and Austrian combination. The great machlhe oee
in turn crushed Denmark in 1864, Austria IN 1920
and France in 1870 is again under way, and II only
remains TO be seen whether the modern engines ..
destruction check the msssed attack OF tne mos
wonderful infantry that has ever msreheo y" Z"
battlefield.
That is PROBABLY the popular view Of the Ger
man military machine. outside Germany as well
AZ inside 1t is founded on the tradition OF sue
cess which Moltke created Yet it should be re-
Numbered that a tradition cannot survive IN
definitely without challenge. 1t must vindicate
itself again and again, under adverse as well as
,,rder favorable circumstances 1t is forty
wears Stree the German military machine was last
testad and il remains TO be seen whether it is
still equal to- turning out victories such as 1t once
won over the Danes. the Austro Hungarians and
the French The Prussian army helped to crush
Denmark in 1864 But it had the cooperation n
that war Of the Austro-Hungarian army and Of
the forces Of the minor German states. The Danes
were hopelessly outnumbered and fought only to
maintain their honor
Prussia defeated Austria Hungary, Hanover and
the South German states in 1856 in a war lasting
seven weeks. The rapidity Of MOltke's movements
insured victory over the disorganized and unready
forces OF the minor states and Sadowa cowed
Francis Joseph into submission. Yet Ssdowa was
won chiefly because the Austrians were so poorly
led. The Austrian defence was half-hearted. The
Prussan breech-loading needle gun was also a
boyle working on the morale of the Austrian troops
although their own muzzleloading rifle left them
only slightly handicapped, Austria was as usual.
caught all along the line at a military disadvan-
tage.
This is the semi-centennia year Of the schlesvig-
Holstein campaign, and in the literature brought
out by it was book Of memoirs by an Austrian
STAFF officer. who came back to Vienna from the
front and was summoned to an interview with the
Emperor He had been cautioned by the adjutant
general TO be careful in what he said about the
superiority of the Prussan small arms, but in his
earerness to open the Kaiser's mind he forgot him
self and urged the equipment Of the Austrian sol
ders with better rife. Francis Joseph was
ANNOYED and offended at this suggestion, dismissed
the officer and had him sidetracked in the service
In France in 1870 Moltke had an opponent Of
equally inferior quality. The French army was
dead at the top, and though the soldiers we're well
armed and fought well the blunders Of the leaders
were pitiable The German army at Msrs-a-Tour
could have been crushed by capable French COM
mander But Bazaine was sluggish and incapable
and took no advantage of the perilous situation of
the German forces In 1901 Germany met with
no genuine opposition
The case is entirely different now. The French,
Belgian and British forces are nearly equal to
those Germany is sending against France. The
remarkable resistance made by the Belgians at
Iieee shows that the fighting quality Of the allies
cannot be dispsraged France is making war now
as a nation, not depending upon dead'sndalive
standing army ike that Of Napoleon the Third.
Moreover. Germany has formidable enemy in
the rear as well as IN the front, since Austria
Hungary's strength is nothing like set-on to
that OF Russia.
Germany has no such easy task ahead now as
IL had in 1864 against the Danes, as Prussia had
against Austria Hungary in 1866, or united
a., TIo ofroI