Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-29
SOLDIERS RESENT
LIFE OF |NACT|ON
They Want to Be Up and at
Enemy Instead of
Loahng.
FEEL CRITICISM KEENLY
War Department Is Censured
for Not Beginning Drive
Against Germans.
FEEL CRITICISM KEENLY
ny PHILIP EVERETT.

american War L witnessed at Chicka-
mauGn Park n certain New York reEi-
ment encamped there going in body
to the tont Of the colonel in command
and in very plain words telling him
that unless they were permitted to go
to the front within a very short time
they would refuse to drill any more.
The colonel, who was probably in SYM
pathy with his men. went to Washing
ton the next day and returned shortly
afterwards with the order to go to
Matanzas.
The very same spirit is to be found
at present among officers and men of
kitchener's new army, though they
probably do not intend to use much
drastic means to accomplish their pur-
pose.
L have met during the last month
or more. ever since the Russians began
to retreat, great many soldiers hero.
officers as well as privates, who openly
expressed their disgust at being kent
In idleness here when they were fully
equipped and we'll trained to go to tho
'front.'. and when the press OF the allies.
Russian as we'll as French, almost daily
made 1t known that they were waiting
for the arrival of the English to begin
tho great offensive which is to drive
the Germans back across their own
frontier ana end the war;"
MEN FEEL T<EENLY
CRITICISM OF ENGLISH
All these men very keenly felt that
the criticism against the English for
holding a front OF only thIrty-four
miles more than year after the begin
ming OF the war Is not unjustihed. Not
one of them could find a single reason
why tho War Department insists in
Keeping such huge forces on English
soil
have met Frenchmen here in Lon
don who year ago were full OF en-
thusiasm for England, express them.
selves with increasing bitterness
against the English military authori-
ties, while at the same time fully an
preciating the invaluable services rem,
dered by the British navy.
Germany who. through her SPIES is
fully aware of the feeling among the
French people at home, is at the same
time Keeping up vigorous campaign
to spread the impression that England
Will do nothing on land. France and
Russia are SO weakened that England.
AFTER stepping in as a rescuing god in
| the eleventh hour. will be in a posi-
ton to pose as having saved tn, situa-
ton. and thus being entitled to hold
the controlling vote on the peace con-
ference after the war
There is n certain danger in this
which the English government does
not appear to have fully realized
Ihe German diplomats are now busily
engaged trying to make capital out OF
the old animosities between the Flem-
ish and the Walloon popula ton OF oc-
cupied Belgium.
Through the voices of her statesmen.
professors and Journalistic Germany is
endeavorlng TO convince the Flemish
people that she recognizes them as her
blood relations and brethren. and that
she mas no higher desire than to de-
liver them from the French yoke.
a prominent Flemish patriot who
| realizes what Germany's real intentions
are. and who recently succeeded In
making his escape through Holland
into this country. tells me a couple of
incidents which are very Instructive
During the past winter, he says, a
famous Belgian historian received a
visit from one OF Germapy's great
luminaries. Professor Lamprecht. who
| died short time ago. The German
professor Immediately began to speak
to his Belgian colleague of the close
affinity Of race between the Germans
and part OF the Belgians. He swore
that the Kaiser was by no means in
spired by the evil Intentions attributed
10 MN by wicked people; on the con-
trary, he never for n moment had
thought Of annexing Belgium, but sim
ply desired to acquire the coast of the
country as bulwark against England.
and this would really be an adyan.
tage also to the Belgians, who would
mus themselves be protected against
the peridious country across the North
Sea. which was their greatest and Bit
| terest enemy.
III Belgium would enter into some
form of union with Germany. her
people would get full freedom to de-
velop their magnificent gifts while
otherwise such thing would be quite
impossible" he continued. Germany.
the most noble minded and generous
country in the world, would then found
new country, Franconia, and found
number Of universities there for the
Inhabitants Of the Latin race"
HASN'T THE SLIGHTEST
CHANCE OF SUCCESS
The Belgian professor. with all the
courtesy due n scientific celebrity. de-
clared that this project had not the
slightest chance Of success, and that
not a single Belgian would think OF
entering such German university
On the other hand. he declared, far
from looking upon England as an
enemy. Belgium would try to get into
even closer touch with that country.
While trying to prove the close
racial affinity between the Flemish and
the Germans. Professor Lamprecht
mentioned as a proof Of his conten-
ton that the Dukes Of Brabant took
tho oath OF loyalty in Latin. French
and "Dietsch," which was really
'Deutsch" Germany. and he was
greatly taken aback when his Belgian
colleagues assured him that there was
not single educated Belgian who did
not know that "Dietsch" was really
'"Thots." the old French word for
Flemish. The German scientist 3D.
mitted 1t was possible he had made
mistake.