The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-06
Only the Officers Get Pleasures
Out of Game.
FlGHTING FOR BETTER POSITION
Romance of Former Wars Has
Gone q Glimmering.
English Soldiers Alone Retain
Individuality in Trenches.
(By Gerald Morgan.)

In France. name delted by censor),
Oct. 6.-Since the beginning OF the war
/ have been in the field with the SOL
diers of four armies. The two points
strategy of the campaigns and the &C
tual conditions under which the OIL
GERS and private soldiers fight. me
life which not only the men but the
officers are called upon to lead in Oper-
atoms such as the battle of the Aisne
is monotous. War is like huge ma
chine into which are thrown materials
of different sorts to emerge as finished
articles, each exactly like the other.
The butcher Of Rouen and the Nor
folk country squire go into the muddy
trench side by side. They sit there a
few days and then are ordered forward
in a blind mans buff of night attack.
They struggle over few hundred yards
of contested ground and disappear to-
gether. In the army lists they are then
reported as wounded, missing"
No Individuality.
In this war individuality simply does
not count There are no Independent
commands. Army corps are thrown
about like companies. The colonies and
brigade commanders are only subal-
terms and many miles behind them, out
Of sight the general staff works out the
movements Of these huge units. No one
of less authority than a corps COM
mander has any idea of what is going
on.
The French army will fight with all
perseverance until the last man is
killed but the Joy and romance of the
old time battle is gone and war has
become a business. From what 1 have
seen OF the German soldiers I do not
think they like it. The Germans are
credulous people. They have been told
their existence is threatened. That their
cause is holy and that they cannot lose
because no one can beat the Germans.
They have been herded like sheep to
slaughter while bands play and the en-
peror shouts, "Deutchland ueber allies. )"
But they are not fighting on their
own soil. No one has to tell the French
soldier that Frances existence is
threatened. He can see it with his own
eyes-the German army is in French
territory.
The German Army.
But there is one thing in the German
soldiers favor. He is being made as
comfortable as conditions permit. His
trenches beyond the Aisne were wait
ing for him. His smokeless travelling
cooking stoves are always on hand with
something hot. The German soldiers
have often told me that these cooking
stoves save their lives.
never realized the shortcomings OF
the German military system until !
saw the English at the front. In spite
of the nature Of the fighting they have
retained their individuality. They still.
in spite OF everything, think for them
selves. They still joke and speak in
the language of the ring and playing
field. They take their punishment as
a matter Of course, no more seriously
than they have to. They know what
they are doing-no other army does
they do not let their nerves get the bet
ter Of them and the impression they
gave me was that they could keep on
going, no matter where they are asked
to fight, far longer than anybody else.
Only the general staff is getting any
pleasure out Of this war and for them
1t is only intellectual pleasure. There
Is no Imagination or romance what
ever about 1t.
A Great Game.
Reports are brought in and shifted
and weighed against each other and