Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-08-14
KAISER REVIEWS
TROOPS AT FRONT
Comes Unheralded to Somme
Line, Where He Looks
Over the Men.
LOUD "HocHs"' ARE GIVEN

With the German army in France
Via Berlin, Aug. l2, to London. -
East OF the Som,ne, with the French
guns roaring morning salute and
the German cannon laundering their
reply, the German emperor today un-
expectedly appeared in little village
Just behind the front and reviewed
a hastily improvised parade and de-
coratcd number OF officers and SOL
diers, He addressed the men briefly
and was then whisked on to the most
advanced position.
The emperor's visit was known
only to few officers the previous
evening and came as a surprise to
the troops, who were obviously over
joyed that the emperor could find
time to come to them. The visit in
addition surprised small group of
correspondents who had just returned
from an inspection of the advanced
positions, and who had an opportun-
ity to see the emperor at Novogeor-
gievsk, few miles northwest Of War
saw, almost precisely year ago. +
Dramatic Features.
Notwithstanding the heavy fog,
that generally prevails in the early
morning in this section, the emperor's S
visit had something brilliant and
dramatic in it. Upon a broad level
Of plain fianked by a picturesque
French chateu, all. the troops in the
immediate neighborhood collected.
The uniforms were OF field gray, but
the attireo + officers and men was,
nevertheless, SO far as possible gala,
and the more striking as a majority
OF the soldiers wore their new steel
helmets. The officers had discarded
their monotonous fatigue caps and
had donned peace time headgear, SO
that the picturesque gray fur head
pieces of the death head hussars con-
trasted with the helmets Of cuiras-
siers, and the mortar-board caps worn
by the uhlans.
Kaiser Arrives Early.
this The emperor arrived at o:3C
o'clock, his suite, including Prince
Eitel, one noted admiral and several
generals. The troops had been drawn
up in hollow square formation, and
His Majesty looking trim and fit
though perhaps somewhat weary
quickly passed i'll review shaking
hands here and there with officefs
he knew personally and repeatedly
saluting the soldiers who stodd Al
present arms" as stiffly and correctly
as in any parade in Berlin.
The officer in command Of the regi-
ments inspected by the emperor ther
delivered a brief address in which hs
assured his majesty in the name oi
the troops that all were prepared tc
fight on indefinitely for the emperor's
and the countrys sake. A ''hoch'
that must have been heard in the
French lines went up before the EN-.
peror could answer. Then he spoke
in clear ringing voice, thanking the
men.
His Majesty Smiles.
In the center OF the hollow square
the emperor decorated a number OF
the officers and eventually, took up
position on the road leading to the
front trenches, while the regiments,
many of whom were composed Of
new troops, marched by in the famous
goose step. The correspondents
stood only a few ayrds distant and
was able to note the seemingly re-
markable physical condition OF the
emperor, who in reviewing the troops,
stood moreerect and sitter than the
youngest subaltern, and, with a
glance of approval or a slight frown,
indicated his pleasure or displeasure.
In fairness to the troops 1t should
be said that his majesty smiled most
Of the time.
The emperor required upward OF
an hour to review the troops and
take trihe of refreshments, and was
then whirled away toward the front
lines as suddenly as he had come.