Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-04-14

himself was trained to take his faith
ers place. Though he emerged from
the France-Prussian war as a req
serve lieutenant, he Immediately went
back TO civil life, In Difference to his
parents wishes.
FOR years he resisted the impulse
TO go back into the army. and fought
with himself battle which his most
enthusiastic biographer describes as
connict between ideal and reality.
His university education, belated be-
cause OF the war with France, was al
most concluded, and he was fast be-
coming in theory at least a farmer
when the opportunity to 60 back as a
line offlcer into the Deaths Head
hussar' regiment with which he had
served in France arrived once more,
and his father reluctantly withdrew
MS objections to this career
number of characteristics DOS
sessed by Mackensen stand out prom
inently, and have stood out ever since
he Joined the Second Body Guard Hus-
ssrs on May 10, 1873. Some of them
obviously have contributed to his mil
ltary success; others belong to those
peculiarities which successful men in
general have.
In the former category comes, first
OF all, an astonishing memory which
enables him often-times to direct
: operations without the aid of a map,
provided of course that he has at some
, earlier time studied the territory in
: question. incidentally it might be
remarked that he generally has done
the studying, for he is a prodigious
t worker at all times.
: Mackensen rarely forgets a name or
! a face, and years after meeting junior
officers astonishes them by calling
them by name when meeting them
q again. Few knew it, but Mackensen
. rivals Hindenburg in his intimate
+ knowledge Of his native land, and has
q travelled and studied SO extensively
that he instantly recognizes any given
: place from its physical characteris-
q tics.
f Contrary to general belief, Macken-
4 sen is the best sort of comrade, and
lacks the repelling sternness with
r which lesser men barricade them
selves.
q Of and on since 1870 he has been
+ connected with the Deaths Head Hus-
r sars, and today is their general la
f suite. No officer has ever been more
h popular, and few more approachable
: There are countless cases on record
II Of financial and other aid that he had
r rendered, though not man of wealth
to men OF his company, brigade OF
a regiment
: Maokensen's early training on q.
? farm or country estate instilled il
Il him love Of the open and for hunting
~ that have always stayed by him
= Though almost 81 years old he ha!
4 never been Ill day and is so strenu
o GUS a worker that his younger officer:
+ often have hard work in keeping W
n to the pace that he sets.
Y His principal aversion is the shirk
er, including the man who, though no
v actually lodging work, likes 10 taxi
IS things easy and perhaps over -indulg
% In the creature comforts Of life. TIL
a officer on his staff who IS too prone L
Il laze over his after-dinne- cigar O
liquor has not an easy time of it.
Mackensen himself does not smoke
because, according to report, Of al
occurrence in the Franco 2Tussial
war. He was at the time a nOn-COm
= missioned officer In one Of the famou
i Black Hussar regiments, and was en-
trusted with important communica
IN lions that had TO be carried to
neighboring staff The trip was long
l. hard and dangerous, but important il
" proportion.
g. He arrived in time to find the stai
s. at the conclusion of a dinner, and i
A very peevish mood because Their
IL were no cigars on hand Thong
D. Mackensen tried to impress on tn
lie officers the importance of his mes
re sage, their primary thought was TO
r something to smoke and they simpl
D. ignored the dispatches in asking hir
whether he had any cigars with hin
AS matter of fact, Mackensen di
Sc happen to havoc a number, but b
t. was so angry at the action of his su
perior officers in putting persona
to comfort above military matters tina
st he not only did not give away hi
y. Smokes" but never thereafter smoke
himself, or tolerated undue waste c
- time in this way by his later subordi
mates.
Another anecdote of Mackensen'
early career is equally characteristic
of the determination and the chivalr
- which his intimates knew so well. H
r was a student at the University c
Halle, and the leader Of his set" H
and his fellow students came to kno'
talented young actress and he
5 mother, and learned from the latte
that the daughter was severely hand
capped by the chtcanery of the theatr
manager, who not only repressed he
every effort to advance but insulte
:. and bothered her as well.
:. Instead of making the matter pei
L, ~