The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-23

should have Killed himself on
the failure " his troops to carry
The r.iy ~ licge and the girdle OF
for,s 10y which it was surrounded will
moi have surprised any one who has
taken the trouble to study the military
history Of Germany since the accession
to the thrun" " the present Kaiser
The latter, since the beginning OF his
ro.gn. has been firmly resolved to bring
his army o. tho highest point of per-
lection. ln readiness for the great war
OF nations long regarded az inevitable
and which now has become an accom-
plshed faC'.
with this object IN view the Emperor
has with Il ruthless hand ordered the
retirement ~ every General or regi-
mental commander who appeared to
Inn 90 boz lacking in efficiency and in
The necessary skill in the art OF han
d'us ami moving large bodies OF men.
Indeed tacH ~ the great annual ma
nrI,roS hod under his personal super
VISION was followed by perfect holo-
,u,' uf officers II high rank who had
rendered themselves guilty OF errors or
VI .l failed To fulfil the expectations
winch Do. had entertained as to their
oan.ty.
II them THIS was the fate Of Generals
w. ulI been found lacking in the pip
los Um.- IT peace. what was there IN
s'ra for Cen. Emmich. who hy his in
9'.', .1 larry Licge and who in per-
%. H- .N" Belclans to check his adj
Ni. through their country into
Fran" bad thrown the entire plan OF
tn German General Staff for the in
v's"N "f France out of gear?
BIS m has always been regarded AT
Bern and. indeed, in every other CAPT
"a "' Europe with derison from
~ wrN point NJ view and her army as
,"ta. That the German troops under
Gen. yon Emmich should have been
hurled back at Liege by Belgian soldiers
added 10 the bitterness of his defeat.
u is perfectly true that the Germans
have since carried Liege. though under
? dn'rent commander. But their ini-
'J. ropulso at the very outset OF the
campaign. and by the BelGans Of all
troops IN the world. was a crushing
bow To- the prestige and Ia the much
Najntod perfection OF the Kaisers
army. And IL not only opened the eyes
or IN" people NJ the Fatherland to the
'ac' that that army upon which they
had spent So much money and which
they had been taught to believe was
superior to every other in the world was
neither irresistible nor perfect, but also
frustrated All the expectations and plans
NJ IN" Kaiser Of having his troops by
this time under the walls of Paris.
Cen Won Emmich regarded himself
az responsible for this humiliating check
TO German arms and for this thwarting
NJ his Emporor's projects. And remem-
oernS tho lot Of those Generals who
mai been guilty Of failures in times OF
peace he blew out his brains
IN order To find any parallel for the
"H-deStruciion Of a commanding Gem
eral in the field 1t is necessary to go
oacN to the Franco-German war OF
foitN-iour years ago, in which the un-
fortunate Gen. Won Emmich won the
IRON Cross by piece of heroism under
nre as young subaltern. During the
winter of 1901 Gen. Bourhali, one
OF tho most gallant veterans of the wars
IN Algeria IN the Crlmea, northern
l'aIy and lu Mexico, was suddenly placed
III command OF force Of about 100. 900
men, mostly "moblots" young fellows
ue''id ot any military training. and
"no' although they had periodically
volunteered for the defence of their
country against foreign invasion. had
never In their lives before handled a
S1n and were for the most part ig-
n'Ian' NJ us mechanism. Under the cir
'''S'ahr's n was perhaps fortunate
lna' ammunition was lacking. and " hen
inc G'rmans under Gen. Won Werder
appeared IN Overwhelming force, with
penlN NJ artillery and cavalry, the
hoolois after putting up brief fight
win Their hayoncts broke into a rout
ana He'd across the ,,ighboring frontier
mo switzerland more than 10000 OF !
WeUh most of them with their guns
sull unhr,d
hourhakl in despair at having been
unable 10 arrest their fight, attempted
W. u'o" ont his brains. but merely in |
"'''ed very dangerous wound. His |
.'un'rNmen when he recovered, showed |
Wv" appreciation Of the fact that al |
"''sh defeated he had done the very |
no could with the inferior material |
Ms disposal by investing him with !
Wv ~ inc most important military COM
"''"d' This. In spite 81 his openly |
a''"'n loyalty to the Bonapartes, he |
was allowed 10y the republic to retain |
u"'' ".l az" and infirmity compelled |
..h 7" tender his resignation from ac- |
tive service
ven H'1rhak'- fa'e has been that OF |
debated Generals in the past |
"'' '' have In the event OF failure |
a. renewed If their commands in the |
W ana superseded 10y ADLER men. But
'""S showed disposition to
g. AGAINST this supcrsession, they
'.N'NS been treated with generous
e. ''''h hN their Governments
' '''nor soldiers, and by their fell
'''i' men that il to say. always
, ''''' '0H' they had not ordered or
.'' n amy surrender
a." seem as f Glen. Won Emmlch
'".'' the IMPRESSION that the pres
"'' "aS destined 10 lead to more
Treatment Of defeated com
Gus .''''. 10 the field
ono thing, however, that liz
n" ','''''' 1" deprive vanuuished com
n 1T any claim to consideration
man.. 'e might otherwise POSSESS,
t..a, ID" participation in a sur
ths Napoleon |. when he took over
Is,.. ."ae'Hd Of rhc French army In
a., ''f .s~ucd AN order fnrhldd,rp
" under his command to lay