The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-05-02
/ tE:IR|h \ A 'i;'' new
! army LACKS SNAP
Soldiers Stack in Discipline and
+ Show Familiarity Toward
r. l. arr. -" - '0 ~
glDARMY HAS DISAPPEARED
ABOUT 7o,ooolM Men Commanded by Hin.
sshBurp About Al That Remains
~ Great ostRsvoIution
H r''t Changes German Troops.

80 ~ Great stRevoIut1on
KY KY chanoss German Troops.
Berlin. Under the new republic the
departments lnf the army and navy
afe no more, In pame at least. The
,sspubiic's name for them is defense,
and they are placed Under charge Of
Gustav Noske, much trusted by the
government for his prompt action II
emergencies, and iuch hated ~ thu
Spartacans for hls RELENTLESS sopposi-s
ton when disorders breaksut.
Noske,s appointment nj head Of the
navy,yas we'll as sthaaEny.w was regard
ed none too seriously. by Noske HIM
self, at least. When asked by a news
paper man what he expected to do
shout the naval affairs of Germany in
ahe future, Noske laughed and replied:
'sWhy worry about naval affairs, when
we haven't any navyT"
; - There are still sailors in big num-
hers : In Germany. however, and they
have been a problem. During the revo-
,Rtion the sailors played an important
part. and most Of them developed such
q liking I'd land duty In Berlin and the
other big cities that they have refused
10 leave for KEEL or any Of : the har-
ssosA Now the sailors are usefln the
guard reg ments all over Germany.
along with, soldiers.
pig Army Disappears
, The German army Is in process of
reorganization. Immediately after the
armistice the army almost disappeared
rs an organized unit. and though there
we're millions Of men in uniform scat
tered all over the land, none was re-
spensiHle to anyone, and officers were
act safe In uniform. In localities the
soldiers joined RED guard" groups,
and some served and others misused
their privileges. Thus the army as it.
was known! In the old days practically
vanished, except for a few divisions
ander Hlndenburg, camped behind the
Rhine, and the troops along the Polish
BORDER. ~.
Now the only army of the field that
Germany has Is in the east to guard
against the Poles. 1t Is commanded
by Hindenburg and Is supposed to be
rot more than 10000 or 10000 men.
q 1t numbers that many. However,
government troops are scattered over
The country IN every big city and in
sndustrid .centers to gard against
disorders. The big problem is keep
nag these Troops faithful and salts
aed, when Spartacan propaganda and
money Is ut large: Under Noske and
fhe minister of war, Colonel Reinhard,
the morale and discipline of the gov
ernment troops have improved tremen-
4aously until great part Of the for
aer efficiency Is restored.
Depends on Peace Terms.
Germany's army Is In transitory
state. What 1t will become depends
apon the peace terms, the Germans
recognize. But there has evidently
been a change In idea In the govern
ment. Early In the revolution Ebert
seclarah himself against a conseripted
army, and Noske and Reinliard were
appointed to organize volunteer forces,
serving for short periods to defend
she new government. AS matter of
faet the. troops used for interior de-
tense are all volunteers. mostly young
men. serving for three or six months
e .@ood. Ray, .':
, T'f,e 50licy Of the new REPUBLIC will
Sc against CONSUMPTION In theory, de
slares President Ebert, but there Is not
much hope of putting the theory into
ssfect, for 1t Is pointed out that Ger
manS will not abolish CONSUMPTION uT
1he (erm do not expect their neigh
ours 20. depend on volunteers. plans
are being worked out for new con.
ycriptiOn army, serving shorter periods
'sseS mDdeled more after the Swiss
aannr the old Prussian army. The
uaiiitia idea Is popular, but IS consid
cred ideafistic.
= The German army Of interior de-.
8sase. which probably numbers around
a hundred thousand men, or possibly
few thousand more, is an expensive
proposition, Volunteers have to be
paid well to keep them from being
iron overSby the Spartacans. who offer
more money. Food and equipment is
good e., ..... .
The new army has a rather slack
iascfpfine. and none of the old Prus.
sian snap, Is seen when officers ap
pear. Familiarity and almost inso-
7ence are seen on every hand. The
German trooper has changed lot with
tae revolution, and If appearances are
1t all indicative, the government
serees in Germany today. are not to
BE feared outside Germany.