The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-08-19
BY w. n. PoRTERFiELo,
Written for The Times.


II Is now too late to discuss the
ethics OF war, the principles OF JUS
tice, or even to attend the meetings
of.the Peace society, Of which latter
! am proud to be a humble member
What the reader wants at this time
II story on the armies OF Europe
from the standpoint OF q newspaper
rran who has just looked them over
but who doesn't know blamed thina
about war and never wants 10 learn
or all the great powers. Germany
has undoubtedly the greatest. best
disciplined. best armed and equipped
and strongest army. From the mo
ment we crossed the Bavarian line as
Lake Constance. Switzerland. until
we left II going into Amsterdam, we
were never out OF sight OF some oil
the war lords troops.
The heavy cavalry, known as the
Uhlanen, are the most picturesque OIL
course, mounted on their scocky
horses and carrying the l6-foot heavy
lances. Fully armed and accoutereo
as they trot across the field theii
brass hemlets shining In the sun
they make a remarkably beautiful
picture.
But to my thinking the cuirassiers
or heavy dragons Of the French army
will give q better account OF them
selves In actual fight.
In the first place the French cav.
fairy horses are larger, RANGER Tano
faster. feel sure OF that. In the
next place the French cavalryman IL
not dependent upon his oficer as the
German is. An English ofhcer IN
Paris last winter pointed out to me
the superior points OF the French
cavalry as we watched q troop RIDE
down the boulevard and this view was
confirmed when I saw the great ma
neuvers at Vincennes In April.
From the days OF Napoleon the
French cuirassiers have been famous
for their magnificent dash and In
trepid bravery. think II should &c
without saying that In the mounteu
branch of the service the French
army is the superior Of anything In
the world.
The Italian cavalrymen are ever
more picturesque and undoubtedly
the finest fancy riders In the world
but Italy, just as predicted In my
published letter Of Feb. 9, has re
fused to 60 to war
/ see that the kaiser sets fortl
that his empire Is the only one In Ecu
rope absolutely united. The facts ar
that the German empire Is anything
but united, and everyone In Europe
excepting possibly the kaiser. know
1T.
/ was in the city of Strassbure
capital of Alsace, In June. This cit
was taken by the Germans In 1877
after a terrific bombardment In whic
| the garrison was almost annihilate
and the wonderful cathedral. one o
the finest In Europe, badly damaged
Germany has therefore held Strasi
burg a. years.
You would suppose the city woul
have been assimilated ere this, blu
only a few weeks before was there
the mayor. superior Judge and IL
Heading citizens were arrested for IL
sulting the German troops quartere
there. The crown prince had bee
recalled by the kaiser and sharpl
reproved for his brutal telegram {
the commander at Strassburg an
martial law prevailed all through A
SAGE and Lorraine.
few weeks later all the troop
were transferred and Prussian troop
we're ordered to Alsace with order
to shoot at the frat sign OF disa
lection!
stopped three days at the HON
of Prussian mill manager In Karli
ruhe, prosperous city OF Bader
about 20 miles from the French froI
tier. My friend told me that the 20
men under him cordially hated a
tPFassiaHs that they had no use 70
the emperor and that this feeling wa
almost universal throughout Bader
Bavaria and Wurtemberg.
My hosts son. an officer In the Gel