Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-06-09
bAvAR|AN STILL
A F|RST-CLASS
FIGHTING MAN
Traditional Military Efficiency
Has Been Kept Up TO High
est Standard During Pres
ent Conflict,

st. Quentin, France, May 24.-For
generations the Bavarian soldier has
sustained the reputation Of being one
of the best fighting units In the world
He has always been, In the eyes Of
his opponents, "a very terrible man
TO be pitted against His name has
been synonymous with military et-
iiciency, and, especially during the
present war, his enemies have whis-
pered more than that about him.
Many do not know or will not be-
lieve that the Bavarian has any other
side than fierce desire to fight and
to win, at any price. He is at the same
time singulhrly devout and religious
and in this lies one explanation Tor
the present relative content OF the
civil population of that part of con-
Quered France which lies to the
German system. in taking
scrupulous care of the people, has
played a large part, but the religious
nature OF the Bavarian soldier has
had O share in the result.
An Associated Press correspondent
who toured northern France recent
~ listened with some little degree of
as German officials
insisted that the population of the
occupied country and of the cities
were quiet and submissive, fairly
happy, and bore few traces of bitter
ness toward the isvaders.
No Resentment shown.
The people to be sure. showed no
outward signs of resentment. Nor
would those with whom the CORE
spondent talked admit OF harboring
i'll feelings against the Germans.
it seemed impossible
that they could be reconciled to their
position. Then there entered into the
problem the religious EQUATION
stronger probably in northern France
than anywhere else where fighting
now is going on.
Through the wonderful stained
glass windows of the cathedral of st.
Quentin there streamed the afternoon
sun of an early May Sunday--illum-
mating the strangest congregation
that probably ever gathered in beau
tiful old Notre Dame. In the great
nave there knelt fully a thousand
women from all classes of the popula-
ton. Three quarters at least wore
mourning-mute evidence that they
had lost sons and husbands, brothers
and lovers. The strains of a wonder
full organ carried far into the streets
about the cathedral, attracting more
and more from outside.
At first glance one saw only the
women in their deep mourning. Then,
however there came into view the
1rab gray uniforms of scores of Ba-
varian soldiers. knecling, not on the
little chairs but on the stone floor
Some held little prayer books and
were mumbling prayers in German
even while the French priest chanted
in his own language. As the music
continued more and more soldiers
entered the church, and, finding no
room among the audience, knelt in
The rear until the building was pack !
I'd clear to the doors.
Suddenly the mass came to an end. I
The women--but not the soldiers
rose BY twos and three they began |
20 file out of the cathedral, past the /
men who had come into possession of /
heir city and who had been response /
Die for the death of their loved ones. !
The correspondent scanned each |
ace for some trace of the bitterness
he expected to find written there Not !
me woman In all the audience Of |
thousand cast event a resentful glance |
It the soldiers. Instead there was al |
most universal approval as the French |
women walked by the rough German /
ioldiers--peasants mostly--and saw
heir devotion The antagonism that I
Vas to be expected seemed to have /
been banished by the bond of a COM |
non religion and a common devotion. |
Hardly had the women left the /
'hurch than a German priest entered II
md began mass in German espe- 4
tally for the soldiers, who gradually 4
illed up the body of this church Just \
'acated. The organ pealed again and 4
his time the men, and not the choir, I
ook up the refrain and sang until 1
he whole building reyerberated with I
he melody
Half an hour later the soldiers
we're seen on the streets of st. Quen-
in, chatting. laughing. greeting here
md there some Frenchman whom
hey had come to know during the
months Of occupation. The brief cpl
ode In Notre Dame, wholly common
lace in many ways and yet given to
o few to see. had put an entirely diff
erent complexion on an otherwise /
nexplicable situation. 1t was no long 4
r hard to understand why there is 4
title feeling on the part of the inhab- 4
tants of St Quentin.