Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-09-04
This new picture shows Kaiser Will
helm and his second son. Prince Will
liam Eitel Frederick, in the field. The
seeret of the Germans.

Secret Of the Germans.
Separated 5000 miles in distance and
UNNECESSARILY in national ideals from
the battling hosts of Europe. Americans
can study with some detachment the
unfolding OF the tragic scenes. Aside
from considerations of politics and
deep sympathy with the suffering. they
watch with fascinated interest the
workings Of human genius applied to
scientific destruction.
What the German army has done
makes military history. There is moth
ing comparable to it in the record. The
much yaunted triumphs of 1870 were
won over incompetence and irresolu-
ton, Here the ablest generals and
bravest fighting men of France and
Great Britain have been checked, al
most routed.
The war began on Aug. !. In twenty
five days Germany has modified and
equipped 100000 men; put four armies,
aggregating nearly 100000, into active
operations on the western frontier;
swept across Belgium. reduced fortified
cities, taken the capital, thrust aside
an army OF daring fighters, and hurled
a thunderbolt attack upon the lines
which the allies had been preparing for
three weeks to receive the shock.
It Is obvious that the first success
does not win the contest; the allies
presumably will have a stronger de-
tense in their new position. But there
Is nothing more brilliant in the annals
OF war than the remorseless onward
sweep OF that torrent of armed men
the questing columns OF reckless
uhlans screening the advance. the
towering airships spying out the enemy,
the incredibly swift forward move
ments of huge masses OF infantry.
closely followed by the guns, the be-
wiIdering evolutions across miles OF
hostile territory; the lightning change
In operations to meet new conditions;
the elaborate feint to the northwest
against the allies center and the crash
ing blow there delivered.
Not forgetting the rapacity OF i'm
perialism, the savagerys of war, the
ruthlessness of the German methods.
the world still can pay tribute OF ad-
1niration 10 this miracle Of masterful
warfare.
A miracle? The word comes readily,
but never was a term more inappl1c-
able. The staggering successes at Mons
and Charleroi and Namur follow law
as simple as that which makes two
and two make four.
In the old time of small forces and
primitive weapons, the chief requisites
for a victorious army were skillfui
commanders and hardy. enthusiastic
soldiers Today, when armies move by
the half million, and when all the re-
sources of an advanced civilization are
employed to organize slaughter, the art
OF war must be studied with the daring
vision of science and the exactitude Of
mathematics.
Waterloo said Wellington. was won
on the playing field Of Elton. Belgium
was conquered years ago, in the mill
tary laboratories and councils of Ber-
lin. Three words tell the, tale-fore-
sight. preparation. efficiency. II sis
A fayorite exercise of inventive writ
ers has been to depict "the next war
as being decided by submarines, by
airships, by strange new engines OF de-
struction. This war Is by no means de-
cided. but we see now that success de-
ponds upon the intelligent direction of
the force and momentum of human
masses. made possible only by scien-
tific training and minute attention to
the Infinite details Of absolute prepared
ness.
Germany, In fact, is not playing a
game; she is conducting business. For
$50 years Prussia has been proportion
ately the strongest military nation in
Europe. For forty years the people OF
the empire have seriously practiced
war with tenacity OF purpose and
passion for perfection that have pro-
duced their foreordained result. What
ever the ultimate conditions may be,
to this time they have justified their
methods fiortAmeri-
can.