Omaha daily bee., 1915-07-01
BAVARIAN STRONG
FIGHTING UNIT
Religious in the Extreme and Filled
with Love for Country, Home
and Land Of ForefatherS.
NO FEELING OF RESENTMENT


Ccorrespondence OF The Associated Press)
ST. QUENTIN, France. June e.-For
generations the Bavarian soldier has sus-
tanned the reputation Of being one or 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 efficiency. and, especially dur
ing the present war, his enemies have
whispered more than that about him.
Many do not know OF will not believe
that the Bavarian has any other side
than a fierce desire to fight and TO win,
at any price. He IL at the same time
singuiarly devout and religious and in
this lies one explanation for the present
relative content of the civil population
OF that part Of conquered France which
lies to the northward. German system.
in taking scrupulous care Of the people,
has played a large part. but the religious
nature OF the Bavarian soldier has had
share in the result.
Few Traces OF bitterness.
An Associated Press correspondent who
toured northern France recently listened
with some little degree of inoredulousness
as German officials insisted that the
population Of the occupied country and
Of the cities we're quiet and submissive,
fairly happy. and bore few traces OF
bitterness toward the invaders.
The people, to be sure, showed no out
ward signs OF resentment. Nor would
those with whom the correspondent talked
admit Of lharboring Ill feelings against
the Germans. Nevertheless II seemed i'm
possible 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.
Women nc Prayer.
Through the wonderful stained glass
windows of the cathedral of st. Quentin
there streamed the afternoon sun OF an
early May sunday--illuminating the
strangest congregation that probably
ever gathered in beautiful old Notre
Dame. In the great nave there knelt
fully 900 women from all classes Of the
population. Three quarters at least wore
mourning-mute evidence that they had
lost sons and husbands, brothers and
lovers The strains OF a wonderful
organ carried far into the street about
the cathedral. attracting more and more
/ from outside.
AT first glance we saw only the women
I'm their deep mourning. Then, however,
there came into view the drab gray uni
forms of scores of Bavarian soldiers
kneeling, not on the little chairs, but or
1.-THE stone floor. Some held little prayer
books and were mumbling prayers n
German even while the French prizes
chanted In his own language. As the
music continued moro and more soldieri
entered the church. and. finding no room
among the audience. knelt in the rea
until the building was packed clear Z
the doors. ,.
File Past COnqueroru.
Suddenly the mass came TO an end. Tn
women-but not the soldiers-rose. p
twos and threes they began to tile ou
OF the cathedral, past the men who ha
come into possession of their city an
who had been responsible for the deaf
of their loved ones.
The correspondent scanned each fac
for some trace OF the bitterness me ez
pected to find written there. Not on
woman In all the audience OF loo cas-
even a resentful glance at the soldier
! Instead there was almost universal al
proVal as the french women Wdlheo =
: the rough German soldiers-peasan
! mostly-and saw their devotion, The al
I tagonism that was to be expected SCENE
TO have been banished by the bond OF
common religion and common devotion
. Mass said In German.
Hardly had the women left the churC
than a German priest entered and bega
a mass In German especially for the 80
diers. who gradually filled up the boo
: OF this church just vacated The orgs
Z pealed again and this time the men. ar
not the choir, took up the refrain. al
4 sang until the whole building reverberat'
. with the melody.
Half an hour later the soldiers we
. seen on the streets OF San Quentin, cha
, ting. laughing. greeting here and the
q some Frenchman whom they had con
IS to know during the months OF occup
u ton. The brief episode in Notre Dam
wholly commonplace in many ways al
IS yet given 10 so few TO see. had put q