The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12
c5.H~Ec,s1~ eREss. ,Hsx'r.
Kaiser Followed His Troops to
Captured Fortress and Was
Acclaimed.

treating Russian forces. An hour later
the pursuing entered the burn-
ing fortress. the city proper on the other
side of the Narew (Which here empties
into the Nistula) having beeh spareu W
a great extent.
During the night OF course the Ger
man invasion of the fortress had to be
interrupted for obvious reasons. But
with sunrise the German nfiuX again
was resumed. And once more after a
refreshing sleep the group OF correspoil-
dents came from Warsaw to he present
at the grand climax. Again we crossed
an emergency bridge across the Nistula-
built by the in several hours
the three magnificent steel structures
that had hitherto spanned the river hav-
ing been blown up very effectively by
the Russians on their retreat from War
saw. Foot for foot our heavy army
automobile had to wend its way through
incessant column of returning Polish
refugees, each vehicle transporting the
family and its household goods. while
one or more heads OF cattle were tied to
the rear.
Words cannot describe the misery, the
human suffering. the tragedy lemon
strated by these innocent sufferers OF
the war returning to the remnants OF
what once may have been their happy
homes. And so that this sombre aspect
might also be varied. interminable lines
OF Russian prisoners escorted by a squad
of Chlans flled in the continuous NOV
ing picture. 1t seemed to dull the senses
to watch. this peculiarly gray color of
the Russian columns pass us with an
ever undulatlng motion. one becomes
grateful for so many little Emergencies
from the ordinary N times of war. And
81 II was with keen interest that we
noted ever and again a little group OF
captured Russian officers unconcernedly
smoking their cigarettes as they
marched along the lank of their men.
One of our American party more en-
terprising than the resJ started 10 count
one column OF several thousand Russian
prisoners as il moved along. but after
1000 he a II up in despair, fearful
OF becoming a nervous wreck before his
time. Finally when our patience had
almost reached It's limit We were free
again to proceed onward. Now and then
even a little speed might he indurrco m.
A pontoon bridge was crossed. the cap
tured Fort Dembe passed and we once
more entered the zone OF bellicose ac-
tivity-here n trench. there n camp and
ever and anon a column of men or a
battery moving about. apparently with
out any definable object. At last the
edge OF a forest was reached and there
before us stretched a picture to make
one gasp.
Before us was the wide plain stretch
ing between the burning fortress of Novo
'ieorgievsk and the last German posi-
tons And half way between the two,
drawn up IN military array. was the
German army. Never should | have
thought that this gray color could pro-
duce such an impressive picture. Gray
was the sky, brownish-gray seemed the
heather of the plain and sombre gray
the troops. How many were there. 5000
or 10000 | don't know, nor care. why
bother about numbers and spoil the i'm
preston? One long line OF bayonets.
alternating with cavalry and field ar,il-
lery, awaited the coming of the Kaiser.
Barely had we alighted when the at
mosphere seemed charged with an cleo
trio current by some means of wireless
Geography. No sound was heard, no
clamor or martial clash interrupted the
atmospheric Impression. Like sombre
spectres. one automobile after another
arrived. First the Kaiser. with Gen.
Won Beselcr and the Chief OF the Cen
eral Staff. won F~alkenhayn. With an
elasticity that astonished me, the Kaiser
allgh'@d n approached the group of
Generals awaiting him. The writer has
frequently seen the Kaiser, often at very
close range, Never have ] seen him look
better.
The surprise of the day. though, was
given 10 me by that military genius,
known for short as H~indcnhurg. Not
one OF the pictures mat have come TO
any notice do the man Justice. lie is
oNcrWhelming, hut most decidedly de-
void of the squares" with which one Of
my confrcrcs has embelnshed him. His
complexion Is of the w-hiteness of marble
and his eyes don't get you. for they don't
look at % but seem to be introspectiye-
ly employed.
sharp military commands rent the air
ana the troops began to move. Several
eNolutions were made and a square was
formed, into which stepped the t,mpcror
and his military retinue. With a voice
of unusual carrying power, rather high
I'm pitch. the Kaiser then addressed his
troops with all the heartiness of one
soldier for another. As the Kaiser was
speaking against the breeze, | could hear
only snatches of his address-such
phrases MS: :" compliment YOU and
thank you on your success, on your
proves" | have hurried from afar TO
he with you upon this day Of all days" :;
THE Lord God of Hosts has been with
MS with His aid we shall continue on
from victory to victory"
Iron Crosses for Several.
The commanding General then ordered
three cheers for the Kaiser. which rolled
over that plain like the call of mighty
Clhrions. And then, when the Kaiser
had affixed the decorations Of the Iron
Cross upon the breasts OF several soldiers
ana mounted his automobile, after AN
animated conversation with several Cen
erals and the Swedish explorer, Sven
Hedin, and proceeded on to Novo
ieorTievsk, We had the opportunity to
talk TO numerous officers and men to
gain an idea of their spirit after their
nerve rackiug battle,
Here, II ever, one realized the indom-
table Will To conquer; an cNemplihca-
tiou of the worn book phrase. ito light to
the very last liut what Impressed me
most VAS the kindliuess expressed by
these men of Drawn and yigor-most of
whom had been fighting since last fall,
and their readiness to say a kant word
for their ad~yersaries.