Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-02-20
NEEDED A MASTER
German Official Helpless in the
Absence of Orders.
surgermcister's Case Typical Of the
Lack Of Initiative Resulting From
the System Of Miiitarism
So Long in Vogue.

III Oi d am lSNcID
was person who looked like Il white
rat that had been thoroughly soaked
and shaved. And he had the faculty.
which all Germans have, OF conscalin:
his cords and muscles ut Il moments
notice. and could assume the rigOr of
an cp;leptic in the presence of supc.
rlors. To watch him slide into your
office, uncover his teeth. cspy You. and
suddenly Straishten himself up in
obedience to an unspoken Achtung,
was ali impressive experience.
The American generals aid. ap-
pointed to this particular suburb of
CohienZ. often wondered why the ar
rest Of every vital function should he
considered polite. He distrus,ed that
playing 'pGsSum.
When the burscrmeistc. came into
the Observation-Disclosures. the aid told
him that. in so far us ne behaved him
self. he would have nothing to fear
from the American army: and that in
so far as II didn't interfere with the
satisfaction of American Interests he
was to continue governing the town rs
usual.
The burgcrmcistcr stiffcned himself
and withdrew. ..
The aid was pleased. His first Off
cinl act. he felt had been kindly. yet
firm, just but not harsh. If he had his
way, b would not suffer rs North
crn France had suffered. He was 60
ing to show these boches that the
Americans weren't there to tcrrOrizc.
or to Amerlcanizc, but simply to oc-
cupy territory according to the terms
Of the armistlce.
But he could not see the scene in the
burGermciStor'S Office Overhend-the
holding Of checks I'm hands. the strik-
ing of chests. the weary and rapid
breathing Of bewilderment, the groaiiS
of despair. And the next morning.
when he went to the OrtSkonmandan
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.
he granted the request, and in
moment the shaved rat slid I'm through
n 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
Oherlcntnant had any orders for him.
The Herr OberIeutnant wanted to
know why.
7" cried the burgermeiSter. "be-
fore the Americans came we had
government. Now we had none How.
then. can run the town Of B. as I
used TO run 1t? There is no one 10 tell
me what to do. If only the Herr Obcr-
leutnant would express his wishes!"
The MD 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 q platoon
OF b0ches was assembled in the street
before the ortskOmmandantur Every
other man caFried broom at right
shoulder arms'and the man at his side
n 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. "Hupw said the burgermeis-
ter.
Out Of the ranks jumped four men.
saluted. and faced the platoon.
"Hup!" said the first OF the four;
and Il little squad Of broomers and
shOvelers faced TO the right and
marched OFF bIfskIy northwar,l.
'Ilup!" said The second OF the four;
and another little squad tTnttcd off. to
the east.
''lIup!" said the third, and "fIup"
said the fourth. and soon all points of
the compass had received their squads.
And the voice OF the gcfreite was
heard in the land. Clouds of dust
hung over b am Rhein, shoyeIs
changed on the cobblestones, brooms
scrapcd the roadways. The town was
being cleaned.
The burgcrmeister stepped into the
burgermeisterei and jabbcd his pencil
three times into his right car $1,000"
he said with pride and satisfaction.
And from that day on the mid gave
him orders puDctualiy at 10 n. m.-
George Boas. in Atlantic Monthly.
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