New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-29

S ninmdid RoTdsaux with our bread.
IUsltet aus" and "Die Wacht am
pbinen roared out in swelling volumes
If tone that stirred tho blood OF every
man who heard them. rLo
war took on q new aspect. THESE
were good-natured Germans VINO mac
,nsnt n long day in a grilling forced
Much such as this amazing German
amy q able to make, and yet here Al
nigbt instead of sinking to exhausted
.ITmber in the straw, they were sing
inc with A Joyous spirit and enthusiasm
which seems characteristic OF the Ger
man soldier. lillian.
had seen the army march iato Lou
, ain. nearly q million Of them, judged
and had heard them enter the town
singing rs they marched along under
the weight Of sixty pounds OF EQUIP
ment. They had marched for hours
vet their songs rang out like the an
themg of '"n inspired by religious ex
altation. 49,, r., into
Parish" shouted soldier, and the man
Mt the piano struck up hVe!y ar
which is supposed to symboliLe Ine
spirit Of the gray soldiers who. arc SO
confident Of marching into Paris.
With such spirit and such proluuln
belief in the business OF their cause
il seems impossible to conceive OF any
force great enough to stop the herman
army. ..,,,
Mon leaned TO their feet when waltz
was played and danced madly IN tht
narrow aisle between the tables. There
was laughter and gayety and trendii,
mess. When any of our party wouiu
ask for n piece the men would STRIKE
Il I'm with tremendous spirit. u was
impossible to think of these men as
being the brutal soldiers that 90 many
wild stories represent them 20 be.
To one who listens to column OF
German soldiers singing. patriotic
song there comes the profound conVlc-
ton that every man among them Is
actuated by a faith and earnestness
which suggest religion rather than war
or conquest.
How long the singing continued
don't know, but il was late when we
asked for "Dic Wacht am Rhein," when
thew sang with heads uncovered. In
compliment to us they then struck up
the majestic air to which America Is
written, which happens to be that OF
the British national anthem, God Save
the King" as we'll - of the German
song. "WreAthed with Victory
Then we CROPPED our way through the
darkness to our sombre classroom,
where one of our soldier friends had
carried the armful Of hay upon which
we slept-chilled through, but soundly,
and with all our clothes on. 1t was
we'll that we got used to sleeping with
our clothes on, for it was to be many
iays and nights before we Wsr, to pass
a night with them of.
Had No Breakfast.
We had no breakfast the following
morning, when, with unshaven faces
and with rumpled clothes showing the
effects Of our night IN the hay, we
made our way to the town hall, expect
ing to be sent to Brussels. We hoped
we might be able to go alone with our
horse and cart and our two bicycles.
In this hope we were to be disappolnt-
ed.
A number of great military autOmO-
biles were standing before the town
hall. Columns Of soldiers were form
ing and moving out to the southwark,
where a great battle was pending. Big
motor vans, some Of them double
headers, rolled ponderously out the
other side Of the plaza, taking diff
ferent route for the front. In front Of
the town hall was a large group of
uniformed officers, each
With the stern, clear-cut features which
one sees so often in the higher officers
Of the German army.
1t was not hard to recognize the i'm
portance of the men in the group. All
we're men whose faces and uniforms
indicated the highest rank.
Saw Crown Prince Wilhelm.
One we recognized was August Will
helm, a son Of the Kaiser. He was very
pleasant, and received the attention
and Difference of his higher officers
with genial, deprecating modesty.
The scene was unforgettable. The
cobbled stone surface of the square,
the ancient church, the smart looking
Flemish Gothic town hall, the rows of
two and three story houses sloping
like steps up the streets leading out of
the plaza, the brilliant groups Of Of
fcers out in the sunlight, and the
splendid gray machines purring in
readiness for the start to the front.
1t was a subject which a great military
painter would have delighted in.
We did not know the names of the
officers not even the commander of
the army, for we had been cautioned
against asking any questions about the
army or its personnel. Very few peo-
pie in Germany heard who were in
command of the different divisions Of
the army until days after the war had
begun.
To-
gerous proceeding to exhibit in the
vicinity Of German military operationsi
we could not take notes except furtive-
ly, and then with the feeling that il
the notes were found on US they would
lead US into trouble; we could not ask
questions for fear our curiosity might
be regarded as significant of too great
a desire to learn military secrets. We
were where the heads of the army did
not want us to be, for there are no
with the German army,
and yet here we we're up with the staff
and near the front.
They Felt Like Spies.
The generals had told US the night
before that we would not be allowed to
remain with the army, for if we were
given that privilege the German papers
would raise a row.
In the beautiful picture that was
spread out in the quaint plaza at Beau
mont there was only one incongruous
disturbing feature. This was the group
of five dishevelled and very hungry
looking American correspondents stand
ing by the door Of the town hall.
That we were being observed and dis
eussed was painfully evident. Some of
the officers did it rather furtively, thus
showing a nice consideration for our
sensibilities; others were quite heart
less and made no pretence of disguis-
ing the fact that we were regarded as