The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-12-19
NEEDED A MASTER
German Official Helpless in the
Absence of Orders.
eurgermeisters Case Typical of the
Lack of Initiative Resulting From
the System of MiIitarism
So Long in Vogue.

So Long in Vogue.
The burgermeister of B am Rhein
was person who looked like a white
rat that had been thoroughly soaked
and shaved. And he had the faculty,
which all Germans have, of congealing
his cords and muscles at moments
Lotice, and could assume the. rigor Of
an epileptic in the presence Of supe-
riors. To watch him slide into your
office, uncover his teeth, espy you, and
suddenly straighten : himself up in
obedience to an unspoken Achtung,
was an impressive experience.
The American generals aid, ap-
pointed to this particular suburb of
Coblenz, often wondered why the ar
rest of every vital function should be
considered polite. He distrusted that
German salute. 1t was too much like
playing 'possum.
When the burgermeister came into
the ortskommandantur, the aid told
him that, in so far as he behaved him
self, he would have nothing to fear
from the American army; and that in
so far as it didn't interfere with the
satisfaction of American interests, he
was to continue governing the town rs
usual.
The burgermeister stiffened himself
and withdrew.
The aid was pleased. His first Off
cial act, he felt, had been kindly, yet
firm, just but not harsh. If he had his
way, B would not suffer as north
ern France had suffered. He was GO
ing to show these boches that the
Americans weren't there to terroriZe,
or to AmericaniZe, but simply to oc-
cupy territory according to the terms
of the armistice.
But he could not see the scene in the
burgermeisters office overhead-the
holding of cheeks in hands, the strik-
ing of chests, the weary and rapid
breathing Of bewilderment, the groans
of despair. And tile next morning
when he went to the ortskommandan-
tur, he was met by request that he
grant an audience to his German col.
league. 1t was 10 o'clock, the exact
! hour Of yesterdays meeting. 49,.
He granted the request, and in
moment the shaved rat slid in through
a slit in, the open door and ran his
tongue over his pink lips. His little
black eyes shOne like shoe buttons,
and he kept scratching the palms Of
his hands.
He wanted to know If the Herr
OberIeutnant had any orders for him.
The Herr Oberlentnant wanted TO
know why.
"Ach!" cried the burgermeister, "be-
fore the Americans came we had a
government. Now we had none. How,
then, can I run the town of B as
used to run it? There is no one to tell
me what to do. If only the Herr Ober.
leutnant would express his wfshes!"
The aid narrowed his eyes and
looked at him in disgust.
"Have the streets cleaned" he said.
and turned to his work.
The face of the burgermeister was
radiant. He had found boss.
In less than thirty minutes platoon
of boches was assembled in the street
before the ortskommandantur. Every
other man carried a broom at right
shoulder arms and the man at his side
a shovel. The burgermeister stood on
the steps of the building, with pencil
in one hand and long list in the
other, and checked off their names.
Then, "Hup!" said the burgermeIs.
ter.
Out of the ranks jumped four men
saluted, and faced the platoon.
"IIupr. said the first of the four;
and little squad Of broomers and
shovelers faced to the right and
marched off briskly northward.
"IIup! said the second of the four;
and another little squad trotted off, tc
the east.
"IIup!" said the third, and "Hup!"
said the fourth, and soon all points Oh
the compass had received their squads.
And the voice of the gefreite was
heard in the land. Clouds Of dust
hung over B am Rhein, shovels
changed on the cobblestones. brooms
scraped the roadways. The town was
being cleaned.
The burgermeister stepped into the
burgermeisterei and jabbed his pencil
three times into his right ear. $1,000"
he said with pride and satisfaction.
And from that day on the aid gave
him orders punctually at 10 n. M
George Boas, in Atlantic Monthly.