Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-30
GENERAL Won KLUCK'S BAD SUNDAY
Frenchmans Whimsical if Somewhat Prejudced Story Of
a Trfling Episode at Coulommers-The Turning
Point of the Great German Advance
By PAUL BIRAULT

| T1IIE general who leads the active wing Of
L the German army remains unknown to
us. Official bulletins inform us of the move
ments of his troops, and tales of witnesses let
one see the attitude of the officers who sur
round him; but the parsonage himself re-
mains invisible behind a thick curtain of
soldiers Three or four Frenchmen have,
however succeeded in approaching this mys-
terious Won Klucl1 and seeing him in his own
setting. Their testimony is worth collecting.
Ii is Saturday, September 5, at Coulom-
mierr; the general, at this moment, believes
that he has won and, tired by the long effort
accomplished since his victory of CharleroI,
certain now that fuller triumph cannot
escape him, resolves to give himself some
hours of rest while putting off until tomor-
row all serious affairs.
Two officers came in the morning to pre-
pare lodgings for the General Staff They
were preceded by an advance guard of
Uhlans. and made their way to the Town
Hall. somebody give us a horse and car.
riaEe at once" they said. Then, with the
conveyance so rcquisitioned, they went across
the town. At every cafe they halted while
their men went down to the cellar and
brought up all the baskets of champagne
they could find. When the carriage was full
they unloaded it in the courtyard OF the
house chosen for the general and set out
yet another expedition.
Behind their half-closed blinds the town
folk follow these proceedings Some of them
even risk their skins outside. All at once
loud cries resound; a bicycle squad precedes
Death Head Hussars who gallop in, revolv-
ers in their hands; infantry charge with
fixed bayonets, and the whole horde cry at
the top of their lungs: THE General Staff"
1.-THE General Staff" Nobody in tho
street." All flee before them, and soon the
entire street is mute and deserted. Won
Klucll makes his entry.
Won Kluck in Charming Humor
This day he is in charming humor He
enjoys reading the street signs of the little
city-some of them bearing the picturesque
names of Fishery street, Angels court and
others evoking the virtues of modern society:
Broom avenue Cooperation Boulevard. In
the heat of the autumn sun his auto gently
rolls toward the centre of the town and the
banks of the Grand Norm; the German
cheftain Is, doubtless, charmed by the sweet
ness and harmony of this landscape, and as
nothing makes such inroads as the artistic
emotions, Immediately upon his arrival he
orders something to eat. The cook who ar
rived two hours before, had done what was
necessary. He had emptied into a large basin |
three cans of French peas, borrowed" at |
the neighboring grocery. To them he had |
added four pounds of lard and boiled the |
whole together over a hot fire. There was |
enough of it for the general and his two
aides de-camp. But the coolS-artlst had re-
fined his menu and added to 1t sardnes In
oil, that Won Kluck prefers to every other
frivolity on condition only that
they be generously washed down with cham
payne.
This light collation. finished, Won Kluck
summons the wife of the French gardener,
the earetalSer. to ask her: your masters
are in the army, of course; have you any
children? Five sons under the flag? Fine.
! promise them my protection when they
shall be incorporated. in the German army"
While thus divertlng himself in light CON-
verse, Won Hluck has the servants make
three beds in a little pRrIor on the ground
floor for him and the two generals of his
suite: then he orders that in all the other
rooms thick litter of straw be spread for
rs escort. He looks the arrangements over
b. mself and, satisfied, says; This is the last
stage; tomorrow shall be leaving Coulorn-
ners TO enter Paris" Confronting the gar
lener's wife, erect, tall and strong broad of
shoulder, he towers with all his might and
likes the old peasant, who cannot hold back
the tears when he says: "In eight days you
will be German!"
The Generals Orchestra
And now before the generals house the
musicians are lining up. Won Kluck appears
It the top Of the garden steps and makes a
sign. The concert begins. German officers.
1illeted on the townspeople, have invited"
III the Frenehmen they can find 10 come to
he music. "Von Kluek's orchestra" they
i'd. ''is composed of the best artists in Ger
many. No one beats them at playing Car
mem and The Mascot, the generals favor
te operas" IN two days, three at most"
ays young officer OF the General STAFF
they viii be giving us a dance on the boule-
ards in the arms OF the shopglrlslp
And now the general gives the order to
'illage Il is a methodlcal operation All
oeked doors are broken down. all abandoned
'ouses are entered and they carry away ths