Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-11-17
MOUTH ORGANS TO
CHEER THE TROOPS
Officer Takes Them to Men
in Trenches That the Time
May be Made Cheerful.

Berlin, Nov. 1.-THE German army
Is a very human institution just now.
The iron discipline Of the barracks and
the caste spirit which divides the OFF,
Ger from the rank and file are not 30
much in evidence.
In one of the better restaurants OF
Berlin sat two officers Of the line. The
worn look Of the field-gray uniform Of
one showed that he had seen service.
That the other had been at the front
was made clear Of a 'bandage over his
head.
Following an animated recital the
offer in the worn uniform picked up
bundle which had lain beside him
on, the table and proceeded to unwrap
SIX mouthorgans.
"You see," he said to his convales-
cent companion. Life in the trenches
and there will be much Of 1t, fear
-s rather slow. There are several
men In my company who can play,
these things and am taking these
back to them. A little music helps
them pass the time and keeps them in
good humor." 'e :
II gave my captain Ave boiled po-
tatoes and the half of a salt herring
the other day and he told me he ap-
preciated it," said a private when ask
ed to explain to what extent life in
the barracks resembled life in the mr.
ing line.
To the remark that hunger comes to
all men regardless Of station In life,
the private commented:
Ger did not have to thank me for II. :"
It would have served no purpose to
argue this point with the man so an
other question was asked.
"This is the time when everybody
must do his duty" replied the man.
and then added slowly and with
emphasis. 'and that duty right now
seems to be the same for all alike
everybody within his place, Of course.
The officer is as likely to be shot as we
are, and sometimes more so, and that.
believe, evens things up consider
ably"
"A sort of democracy Of DEATH"
suggested the interviewer.
But the word democracy" Is il
Germany principally associated with
the social democrats''-the German
private had nothing more to say.
It is as difficult to interview a Ger
man private as 1t is to get information
from one Of the few officers who in
ha bit the large rambling general staff
building across the Reichstag build
ing. 1t seems to be as much the duty
of the soldier to be silent as to fight.
There Is no QOuDL LndL the SfeTHdn
army in the field Is more liberal in
stitution than the German army in the
barracks. One reads almost daily Of
men carrying their officers to the
dressing station behind the trench Of
firing line. and Of officers who after
the fighting is over make frantic effort
to succor their wounded men. Letters
which speak Of officers dividing their
parcels from home with their men
have ceased to be novelty.
On the whole It is a rare thing for n
German private to get the Iron cross
Of the second and first classes togeth-
or. So far there are three cases: in
fantrist .Maurer Slfher Of Querfurth,
Reserve Corporal Mueller Of Geeste-
muende. the latter also earning pro-
motion to sergeant.
Mueller serves with a machine gun
section. In a recent engagement the
crew Of the section was shot down,
Mueller alone ESCAPING. Instead OF
seeking cover Mueller carried hfs
wounded corporal into safe place be.
hind the firing line, and then return.
ed to the machine gun. which he be.
gan to work with such efficiency that
with few moments he had killed and
wounded nearly all the men In two Of
the enemy's trenches.