The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-03

Representative RICHARD BARrnoGDT
Of the Tenth Missouri district was
born In Germany. but came to this
country when a boy. and received Il
classical education" He has been Il
member Of the House continuously
since March (. 1893. and has been con
spicuous in the lnterplrliamentary
Union and the Arbitration Group In
Congress- which he founded ten years
ago. On Sunday evening he addressed
n meeting Of Germans and American
citizens Of German antcCedentS and
sy mpathies. defending the position Of
Germany in the present war and de
claring his opinion that the German
arms deserve the friendship Of the pco-
pie of tho United States. Mr.. BAR
THoLDr. searching for historical ~.
ISOLATION to stir American enthusiasm,
is reported in this fashion
Mr. BARTiIoLuT pointed ut that Fun
ERIcK the Great was the first to recognize
the cause Of the American rrvolutionists
and sent one Of his best Generals Baron
Won SrEuBEN, whose abilities as an or
ganlzer helped make the victories Of
GEORGE WAsHIHGToN possible"
The great services Of Baron SrEUBEN
to the Revolutionary army have been
recognized gratefully by Americans for
generations, and only on August 3 q
monument in his honor was unveiled
with appropriate ceremonies at Utica.
But on what authority does Repre-.
sentative BARTHoLDT'S statement that
Baron STErBEN was sent 10y FRED-
ERiCK the Great to aid the patriot
rebels rest? II is not recorded In the
standard biographical reference works,
which, indeed, give quite n different
account Of the beginning Of STFUBESs
service in the Colonies,
The American encyclopaedia GSG2) re-
cords that lin 1777. while on a visit to
| France, he [STEUBrN was induced by
| the Count ST. GERMAN to 60 to Amer
| lea" This bald statement is repeated
lby the International Encyclopedia
O9oi), and in the Encyclopedia Rri,
tannca G010-l1D, with circumstantinl
amplification. But in Appletons Cyclic
pndia of American Biography GSS9
the story Of how the PITissan Baron
was induced TO become the drillmastcr
of the Colonial soldiers Is given In
some detail:
| But in l777, while on his way to Eng
land to visit some English noblcmcn. he
! lSTEUBENl spent some time in Paris
! meeting here Count ST. GERMAN, tho
| French Minister OF War, who, knowing
that the great weakness OF the American
colonlsts lay IN their ignorance Of military
tactics and want Of discipline, endeavored
to persuade him to come to this country
and instruct the soldiers.
"But the Baron declined to give up his
honors and his ample income and risk
everything on our desperate fortunes.
THE French Minister however, brought
about an interview with BENJAMIN
FRANKLIN and SlLAs DEANE. The manner
with which the former received him Of
Tended him. and this, with other reasons,
caused him to abandon the project alto
gether
Recalled by GERMAN he at length
| yielded to the letters solicitations and
promises, and resolved to east his for
tunes with the struggling Colonies EN-
barking on u French gunboat under the
name OF FRANK, he set SAN from Mar
settles II December, III and after a
stormy passage of hfty-hye days. during
which the torccast.e took hrc three times
while there were Loo pounds ~ gun,
powder aboard and mutlny was sup
pressed. he arrived At Portsmouth, n. H."
on his arrival the Baron offered him
self MS volunteer in language in M
agent or representative Of FREDERICK
or had been sent" by that great sol
dier, or his splendid contribution u
) the American cause it is unnecessar!