The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-05-02
WHY THE GERMANS FIGHT
It IS SAFER TO ADVANCE
OF MEN AND BARRAGE
FIRE At REAR CUT OFF
RETREAT.

of assault which dash against the
British line in Flanders, to be broken
or to gain ground which is of dimin-
utive military value by comparison
with its cost of life, ones admiration
is apt to be divided between the Brit
ish and German armies and one is in
clined to declare both to be bands of
heroes. But this impression under
goes change when one considers the
means by which the Germans are in
duced to march to the slaughter and
compares them with the methods by
which the Britons are led to stand
firm against enormous odds, says the
Oregonian.
The German troops have no choice
but to advance. They advance in waves
at intervals of 100 yards, and, no mat
ter how anxious the broken first wave
may be to retreat, it is pushed for
ward by the one behind. The first and
often the second wave has been
smashed, but, the dispatchers say
"the enemy depends upon subsequent
waves for success" Not only that, it
has often been stated that the Ger
mans drop a barrage of artillery fire
behind their advancing infantry and it
follows them up. To retreat would
be as fatal as to continue the advance
into the British barrage.
Driven to Slaughter.
The action of men who press for
ward under these circumstances is not
that of heroes, for they are not free
agents in the slightest degree. They
are driven to the slaughter by men
who hold them absolutely in control
and who would shoot them down If
they should slip through the storm of
shell in their rear There is a chance
to survive if they go on; death is prac-
tically certain if they retreat.
Why do they not rebel, STAY their
masters and not only save their lives,
but win their freedom? The answer is
Prussianism. For two centuries Prus-
STA has drilled into the minds Of her
soldiers absolute submission to their
officers. This has been done not only
by teaching but by practice of the
most ruthless brutality, which cows
the private soldier and breaks his
spirit, subjecting his will to that of
his officers. These latter regard them
as inferior clay and beat the same
belief into their minds. Cruelty is a
part of Prussian discipline, and the
punishment of officers who, in the OPP
inion Of their masters, carry it to ex-
cess is absurdly mild.
Brutal Officers UNPUBLISHED.
All these facts are made plain by
Charles Altschul in phamplet on
German Militarism and It's German
Critics" which has been issued by the
committee of public information. Fol
example, a tubercular Uhlan was
struck across the helmet by a non
commissioned officer with his carbine
which broke it to pieces and caused
hemorrhage. The soldier was made t.
run and had to lie down in pool OF
rain water. He died before the Off
GERS trial and the latter escaped witt
two months Imprisonment, though hi:
crime would have been at least man
slaughter under American law.
Like Rabbit Drive.
The German soldiers do not go into
battle as do those of free people
They are driven by men who are theil
pretended superiors and who regard
their slaughter with the same indif
ference as Oregon farmers show at
rabbit drive. In the opinion of thu
upper classes" they are inferior clay
properly sacrificed to the. cause o
Prussiansm and easily replaced by
new lower class composed of conquer
ed people of alien race who are to b.
Germanized by the same means al
have reduced the native Germans t.
docility.
Militarism cannot be destroyed unit
Prussianism Is utterly beaten, and tn
pity of it is that this cannot be accom-
plished without killing hecatombs o
these driven slaves. The utterl
inhuman nature of the system can bes
be conceived by boldly stating tn
horrible but logical conclusion t
which its premises lead.