El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-21

1HAT is the German army like
M What is this army, the great
w est in many respects that the
world has known, when it is gath
cred together in its millions? We are
told that the men are surprisingly
well drilled, that they march and fight
like machines, and many other partic-
ulars. but it is difficult to put these
facts together, repeated a million times
in minute detail, and arrive at any
thing like picture Of the whole. Rich
ard Harding Davis, in the New York
Tribune, in his description Of the Ger
man forces passing through Brussels,
paints a wonderful picture. For %
hours this stream Of armed men rolled
like fog through the echOing streets
Mr. Davis says:
The entrance Of the German army
into Brussels has lost the human quail
fty. It was lost as soon as the three
soldiers who led the army bicycled
into the Boulevard du Regent, and
asked the way to the Care du Nord.
When they passed the human note
passed with them.
What came after them. and p hours
later is still coming, is not men march
ing, but force Of nature like tidal
wave, IN avalanche, or a river flooding
its banks. At this minute it is rolling
through Brussels as the swollen waters
Of the Conemaugh valley swept through
JOhnstown.
AT the sight Of the first few regi-
ments Of the enemy we were thrilled
with interest. After, for three hours,
they had passed in one unbrOken steel
gray column, we were bored But when
hour after hour passed and there was
no halt, no breathing time. no open
spaces in the ranks, the thing became
uncanny, unhuman- You returned to
watch ii, fascinated. It held the mys-
terry and menace Of fog rolling toward
you across the sea
The gray OF the uniforms worn by
both officers and men helped this air
Of mystery only the sharpest eve
could detect, among the thousands that
passed, the slightest difference. All
moved under a cloak Of invisibility. II
Is a gray-green, not the blue-gray OF
our Confederates. It is the gray Of the
hour just before daybreak. the gray Of
unpublished steel, Of mist among green
trees.
aUnffOrms Invisible"
Ct saw it first in the Grand Place in
front Of the Hotel de Vile. It was i'm
possible to tell If in that noble square
there was a regiment or a brigade You
saw only a fog that melted into the
stones. blended with the ancient house
fronts. that shifted and drifted, but
left you nothing at which you could
point
Later, as the army passed below
ny window, under the trees Of the
Botanical park, II merged and was lost
against the green leaves. It is no ex-
aggeration to say that at 100 yards you {
can see the horses on which the Uhlans |
ride, but can not see the men who ride !
them
Comparisons of Uniforms.
IF appear. to overemphasize this /
Disgusting Uniform it is because, OF all 4
the details Of the German outfit, it ap- 1
pealed TO me as one of the most re-
markable. The other day, when I was 4
with the rear guard Of the French I
Dragons and Curassiers and they /
threw out pickets. we could distinguish 4
them against the yellow wheat CT green 1
eorse at half a mile. while these men J
passing in the street, when they have 4
reached the next crossing, become I
merged into the gray OF the paving /
stones and the earth swallows them I
In comparison, the yellow khaki Of our 1
own American army is about as invisi- 1
Die as the flag Of Spain.
'I have followed. in campaigns, six I
armies, but. excepting not even our /
1Wn, the japanese or the British. I |
have not seen one so thoroughly |