Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-08-27

The general then walked around the
square to the playing of the national an
them by the band Of the regular leth
regiment, and after he had returned 10
the entrance, we swung right about face
filed by the general and his st e and Win
the band playing a stirring air, marched
to the tarraclSs.
EQUIPMENT ALL READY.
These were ready for occupancy, ana
as soon as we were discharged in the
square we went up to our rooms and
stayed there. 1t was then a little af-
ter 10.
our sergeant took our names we
were assigned to beds and lockers, and
told to go either to the kitchen or to
the mess room, or to the canteen for
refreshments and lunch and report
again in the room at one o'clock
Nobody was allowed to leave the
barracks, and of course, nobody did.
The only way to keep out of trouble
in the German army is by doing what
you are told. and by doing it at once
1t is the instilling of this very spirit
of obedience and authority which af-
terward exerts such beneficial iniu-
ence upon life in Germany and the
obedience to law
We all were back in time. and now
came the most wonderful part of the
performance.
In small squads we were taken to
the depot where uniforms trousers,
helmets, etc. are stored in immense
quantities. In one large hall we tried
on coats. in another trousers. some
where else shoes At the other end
we got our helmets. cartridge boxes,
etc, and all this without fuss. con-
fusion or excitement a. If we were
in a we'll organized clothing cmror-
ium buying a suit of clothes.
ALL IN THE DAYS WORK.
OF course it took some time, but soon
each one had his uniform assembled,
which as far as the coats were con-
cerned. may not have been just the exact
fit. but on the other hand not a bad
misfit either
The men in the different regiments are
arranged according to size, the tallest
In the first company, and then gradu-
ally the size gets smaller towards the
last.
picked for the guard regiments In Rer-
lin. and as all the coats and trousers
are arranged according to size, the fitting
is not so very hard.
Loaded down with our equipment, we
were marched back to our rooms. where
we put on our uniforms, were given
rifles, and at 4:3o our battalion stood
formed in heavy marching order ready
for inspection by colonel and major as
If the fitting out of about 1000 men was
an everyday job to the commssary de
partment.
All that was necessary was to he fur.
nished rations and ammunition, and ir
another hour We might be entrained t.
( go to the frontier of France, and porhap.
dead in another "A hours
| 1t is all a part of the game, and | still
remember how quietly we took it all a.
the part the business of a soldier anc
never bothered about what might hap
pen.
MoBILIZINC FOR PEACE.
| The same performance was gon,
through that day in many of the grea
garrisons and everywhere at five o'clocl
other regiments of the reserve were al
ready to march as we We're. 1t was
marvellous performance of efficiency an,
systematizing, and no doubt the machin
cry to-day is still more efficient than i
was then.
The equpping of 100000 men within ;
week is an enormous task, but in ever.
large garrison there are depots and de
with equipment of every description.
During the winter time, when there /
less outdoor drill, each company send
a specified number of men into these de
pots daily. Clothes are taken out ant
brushed, boots are oiled, arms cleaned
and everything thus kept I'm serviceabl
condition, There is system and orde
everywhere each pile of coats is mum
bered, a card tells how many must be Il
each pile, and they are there.
The German army does not only mob
ilize for war, but mobilizes yearly o
paper.
My father was at the head of the hos
pital service of the army corps of tn
Rhine the sth. In Coblenz. where h
was stationed, was stored the whole hos
pital train, ambulance wagons, medicin
wagons, instruments, etc, housed in
Dominican church. built at the end @
the 18th century, which "a, formed
part of the army hospital.
Some day, Unexpectedly, an orderl
would come from the government offic
with the command to mobilize the hcs
pital service of the Sth corps ard re
port as soon as 1t was ready to be moved
"a HOURS STRENUOUS WORE
1t took about "A hours strenuous Wort
of filling the wagons and getting read!
and when all was reported in ship-shap
a high official from the war departmer
in Berlin. who had come to the Carr
son for that purpose would go throug
the line of wagons
The blankets We're oounted, instrument
taken out to see if they were all clea
and in serviceaale shape. He spent PEE
haps a couple of hours in the depot, M
ticed the state OF affairs, salute
thanked my father and went back
Berlin to report.
The whole hospital service was the
ready to be moved. The wagons wei
ready for the drivers of the so-call'
TRAIN Corps to hitch on the horse
mount and get up and go forth for GO
+ Kaiser and Fatherland."
, The same condition exists in the nav
n and in every part of this tremendo'
Il war machine.
n ! doubt that any other country kee
e It's war machinery in such state
q efficiency and readiness as German
:, One must have been an active memb