The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-06-12
WAR in EUROPE
SITUATION AS DETAILED BY AN
AMERICAN AFTER FOUR
MONTHS OBSERVATION.

Lafayette Young in Des Moines,
Ia. Capital: The question most fire.
quently asked of me since my return
is, when will the war end?"
This question | am not able to an
swer, and no man living a answer.
| would say it would not end for a
year. 1t may last longer.
The Germans are determined and
are making the greatest fight of the
nations history. They are united /;
they cheerfully obey all suggestions
from those in authority. When self
denial is required it is forthcoming;
when a mans services r required
these are forthcoming.
There would seem to be no end to
the resourcefulness of the Germans.
They move in perfect harmony. They
strike everywhere, and strike hard.
They have the most effective artillery
and their small arms are equal to the
best. The German army is, man for
man. the best army in Europe. / was
with the German army; l saw regi-
ments on the march. / saw the Ger
man on picket; / saw him in the
trenches; | saw the German as a
prisoner of war. | saw him receiv-
ing smoking tobacco in the military
prison at Southampton, Eng. The
donor of the tobacco was Consul Gen
eral Albert w. Swain of Oskaloosa
and Des Moines. ! never saw the
German in battle. / saw no soldiers
in battle in Europe. When / was in
the trenches there was c%annonadine
and firing on the part Of sharpshoot-
ers. but there was no battle raging
| should not want to be i'm the
trenches when the fight was on.
saw enough of il as it was. The
sharpshooters are a little too certain
in their aim.
Germans Schooled to Obey.
The German army has the advan
tage of perfect drill, and represent.
a hundred years of the most faithful
obedience to orders. | understand
the first thing a soldier must learI
is TO obey orders. The German drill
this country, and the severest o
them would certainly have no friends
But Germany is a nation of wa
and obedience to orders is a part o
the life of the people. Germany ha,
a million perfectly drilled men TO be
gin with, and she had another mil
lion or two who had served thei
term within recent years, and bacl
of those were older generations. al
Mt nf Whnfa bod haH thraa xrao VnF uarrY
ice; then there were a few officer
extending back to the great wal o
1870.
Germany in all respects is the EN-
bodiment of obedience and efficiency
The educated men and the ruin.
classes form the plans. They draN
the designs. All other Germans i'm
dorse what their great men do. Thi
makes the German empire of toda
the most solid governmental enter
prise on earth. The Germans hav
been saving their resources. The
still have men and money and NOR
food products than they had when tn
war began. The Germans have N
notion of quitting.
Austria Admires Germany.
OF the Austrian army / canno
speak with definite knowledge. Au:
tria moves in obedience to order froI
Germany, and to my mind Austri
and Germany ought to be one coun
try. The Germans speak slightingl
of the Austrian soldiers and the Aus
trian soldiers are proud of the GEL
mans. In Vienna L saw the Germa
and Austrian flags intertwined an
blended; also saw long streamer
with the colors of both countries al
tached. making one flag.
| do not believe the war will en-
by any failure on the part of Austri
TO do her best.
The French army is second only I
the Germans in the soldiery qua
tiles which | have described. III
Frenchmen are short in stature; the
wear long tailed frock coats such a
. the ex-eonfederates veal when the
go TO their annual reunion in Rich
mond. Nobody has ever accused tn
French soldier of being other than
brave man. When his regiment j
called into lire he does not go in wit
a heavy step, but steps in as If Their
were ladies present.
The German regiment goes int
line like a regiment of cavalry
They wear heavy shoes, and all thei
feet come down at once, making tn
scene impressive. They give what /
known throughout the military worl'
as the goose step" | attempted L
describe the goose step once befor
and will make another effort. 1t j
not a joke; it is not a burlesque; i
is not a sidestep. 1t is a step for
ward or a stride without bending tn
knee, bringing the feet down with tn
greatest force. The goose step j
given when the regiment passes il
review. 1t is a salute. A large com
mand giving this step makes
thriller.
French Doing the Fighting.
The English histories of the wa
would indicate that the British hav
done the principal fighting on behal
of the allies, but this is a mistake
The French have done the fighting Il
the main. These little Frenchmel