The farmer and mechanic. [volume], November 03, 1914, Page 7, Image 7

About The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??

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THE FARMER AND MECHANIC.
GERMAN GENERAL STAFF LAST
WORD IN WAR EFFICIENCY
How The Kaiser's General Staff Selects and Train Tt
Members and Organizes for World Conflict in Times
of Peace.
m ' I ft. . t . 1 r -m . .
j,,,,,, .inmiMin ... rw xorn World, from hundr of ntw- -
In the pray dawn of a mornirfg early coveted distinction that can come to
ia August a million gray-clad soldiers a young German officer in time r,f
f nun the vast military camps of Ger- peace. 1
n;iny lurncu mnr uuuks 10 tne rising a montn later Lieut
VAn TIar)n
fcun and, marching westward, stepped round himself standing before the
Mir., the stage of the world's most ap- Chief of the General Staff in an office
nl!ing tragedy as the curtain of mist in the great buildim? in lriir,
i"1"" f"t a iic-sin- me uireciing organization of
i.ur vanguard of this mighty host the German army.
j,r. ss. tl forward across the plains, first "Lieutenant" said the great man
a M-n-en of cavalry, a glint of light "you are about to enter upon a se
Mnking here and there the scabbard vere course of training which is in
,,f a .vubre or the point of a lance, tended to fit you in time for the high
th' n the artillery, followed by the est command. Let me give vou a
mussed ranks of the infantry. He- tew words of advice. You must re
hind this curtain of steel, stretching member that it is not alone by devo
in endless columns into the obscure tion to your technical duties that you
1 stance, vague as phantom legions will attain your hierhest
in the dust-laden air, came the am- To your military fitness you must add
munition wagons with their deadly tact ana discretion. While you will
freight, the supply trains ready to be called upon to make great exer-
furnish the familiar food in a new tions in the study of the theory and
ami terrible environment, and the practice of military science vou mu?t
ambulance corps, whose red crosses I not neglect to keep your physical
arry in their shape the message of Powers up to the mark. Further-
i), a( and in their color the message more you must train yourself to hp
f war. a quick and untiring rider, you must
"The Day" prophesied by seers, keep your eye in practice so as tr ie
sunt; by poets, longed for by soldiers, able to obtain at a glance a correct
tvlanned for by statesmen had come view of a military situation and it
at last; the German army, the most may serve you well if you are a good
formidable military machine ever de- I araugnrsman and a practical teleg
vised by man, had thrown its mailed raphist."
gauntlet in the face of Europe. . This conversation was the first step
In a lew nours this great army was in an arauous period of daily instruc
regard to each nation everything
about its-constitution, administration,
the state of political parties, finance,
intellectual culture, agricultural and
mineral resources, forestry, manufac
tures, supplies of food and fuel, rail
ways, postal service, telegraphs, tele,
phones, roads, canals, and th books,
pamphlets and magazine articles re-
latins to miiitarv affairs
The captain's next step was his
ransfer to the historical section of the
Great General Staff. Here a minute
study is made of the history of war.
livery campaign m examined not onlv
from material available in books and
printed reports, but also from the
original diaries and journals of offi
cers, i.pon the facts contained in
these innumerable records psmvs are
compiled which deal with everv con
ceivable question concerning army or
ganization ana the handling of troops,
the employment of the various arms
and the strategy of campaigns.
une branch of study alone remained
before Capt. von Herder could emerge
as a completely trained officer. This
was the map division, or, as it is gen-
erauy called, the Topographical Sec
tion of the Great General Staff. Here
are produced the finest maps in the
world. Many of them are on such a
large scale that every road, every foot
path, every bridge, even every house
outside the limits of a town, is indicated.
1(1 OF BELGIUM
SEiSJSTilS
Albert's Heart is Touched by
Generosity Shown His Peo
ple by Americans
HELP NOW OR STARVATION
Seven Million People Without
Money or Work Face Death
From Hunger This Winter
Unless Much Relief Comes
uuickly; Newspapers Are
Appealed To
London. Oct. 31. ( 5:20 t
iving Aioert, of Belgium, has asked
bo at the outbreak of the present tne American people to help fttd his
war Capt. von Herder found himself starving people during the coming
at tne rront, his vast knowledge and winter. Mis message, wtitten under
experience at the disposal of the com- hre in the battle before Dunkirk and
mediums tjeiierai 01 one 01 me armies uan&miiieu 10 me American eommis-
which was flung across the Belgian sion here for relief in .Belgium. fl-
Irontier. Iso doubt he will erive a lows:
goou account or nimseit unless a
stray bullet should in a single instance-
reduce to inert dust the ca-
yaoie maiviauanty upon which so
much training had been lavished.
Now For the Groat Trial.
Regarding the military organiza-
'I am informed that American of
ficials and citizens in Belgium and
England are working to save my peo
ple from the horrors of the famine
which now threatens them. It is a
great comfort to me in this hour of
sorrow and misfortune to feel that a
. .1- r ii ii t . I : v. i j AA . . . .. .. I "
0 : - k II vv T Uwin lii thaf o mailers wnicn it tion of which Capt. von Herder is the great-hearted, disinterested people i
( ...... ... "Y" w Irni . tQff V,Ai,Ti "'" Wi VJtrn- prouuet tne real test of its efficiency directing its efforts to relieving th
1. k.I 1 ' r fi trior ir tnAlr Annn r n I f ill I Th IT Vn nil I n Lrn Aiir I I
, u .ul uuu, p-- a in war nas only just begun. Battles distress of the unoffending civilian
t.. ie irnaueu u luit xou oi numan me " i" ul" '1. xo. S ler nave been won and lost, 1eath has population of my country
u,u ... v, iMMuU :; -"-"V u- wLyr reapea a ncn narvest, the wounded "Despite all that can be done. th
couM be crushed and its homes made Lieut, von Herder to learn his duties crowd the hospitals, captives by the suffering in the coming winter will
folate. "ij Pe"vcam.?Sn m barrac.k?'in.tle thousand have been disarmed and be terrible, but the burden thev must
The l ire Test of Efficiency. f iriS general fotart, in sent into exile, cities have been de- bear will be lightened if my people
l. was at this point, following the trnye'i ruin and disaster have over- can be spared the pangs of hunR,r
tirs. sharn order of "Fire!" that the v J llULa taxen tne peacetui multitude; yet if
r l i iir iiriii irif i ;i mi shtvipp i i -,,-v t
TTT1 i . . -. 1 '
VV WP T"fko n 1 n ThA n o -' c? nckTio r r I 1 1 : . r-i A
machine to the perfection of which army corns arriving at -the front rL- VV: eViai" erpr1"
i:..rm:.nv hns for half aT.ntnrv n e - JI" c?5Pf a"n inf at Ane tTor Per" tlon that Teutonic valor, backed by
v ' -w wv i i i v 111 ill iinuii nr t r rv n on ir ii rvH tr. i it
. 4. 1 1 J T 1 J1 A
t..vt i..ur.,n of thn ofnnlonr.v r.f t i a t rrV -o---- - ii wah, as me woria nas learnea xo
l lri:i J v hi 1. 1 i.iif .1 rT Trrn cunn Man n .,11 v. : i , .
v-.t.wl ?.n )nnrfl,l!),lQ arrtnn lvj . oLl lIlilL science CHU SUUUIV, WOU1U
Murht energy and gold tne troops under hre in the trenches, prove irresistible to any conceivable
Thn mSn n,,Wi ), familinr f mile"lonS columns of ammunition epnosition, two months of war have
J ? f.V?"2 J?ll steadily pushing their way up sown many seeds of doubt in the field
v. wwara tne hghting line, of small of confidence.
ua, KuiiMiutuuu bodies of uhlans feeling their way in
of the Panama Canal, the medical and advance of the army and sending back
sanitary achievements which made to headquarters news of the enemy's
that construction possible; we know strengtl. and of the state of the roads
that in relation to the objects it has and bridges, we are reading of the
in view the Standard Oil Company is work done under tne direction of men
one of the most efficient organizations like Lieut. von Herder, who during the
U ! w"rld- , A1 days of peace have been working out
In the dread domain of war the Ger- all the problems which arise when the
man v.enerai man represents ie iusi German army goes to war
,n,ir. f o Arr.,0 Von Herder's Ordeal.
1 to the King of England by the Ger-
EIjECTIIIC AVTOKS NKAlt TItKES.
More Precaution Should Be Taken to
Make Contact Impossible.
A writer in the Scientific American
who was on hand at one of the re
cent accidental electrical deaths feels
that many of these family robbing in
cidents could be easily prevented. It
was the old story of the 2000-volt line
After four years of work with the not being a sufficient distance away
man Iwnperor occurs a passage which General Staff, von Herder now a from surrounding trees, barns, etc.
throws a strong and dramatic light captain, since promotion comes quick- The unfortunate victim was caught
u;.n the irrevocable character of the ly to a man who has been through the while engaged in the work of trim-
l.lans of the German General Staff special course received an order to ming a tree, the 2000-volt line being
once they have been set in motion, rejoin his regiment. This reassign- substantially in contact with the tree.
MI am orry." telegraphs the Kaiser, ment to regimental duty is part of the Aside from these occasional and too
"that on technical grounds my mobi- general policy or the German military frequent accidents, the writer has
ligation cannot be countermanded, be- authorities. Its object is to save a noticed that there is a grounding at
cause your telegram came too late." ' good man from becoming a mere office many points where such wires touch
What is this machine which, once solder. treetops; sparks may often be seen
the starting gear has been put in mo- To a promising young officer who passing between the wires and the
tion. cannot be checked even by the has just passed through the rigors of branches of the tree,
powerful hand that threw In the a General Staff service the return to with the knowledge that higher
clutch? Of the soldiers in the ranks the routine of regimental life is at poles are more expensive and that un
I need not speak. They are much the first extremely irksome. The monot- derground conduits are very costly,
same as other soldiers, as strong, as onous work of drill and inspection, of the writer would still suggest that
brave, as much subject to the violent route marching and minor field tactics every municipality granting right of
Influences of combat; they are perhaps Is a dull employment for one who has way for a high-voltage line should re
better trained than other soldiers in recently been engaged in studying the qUire such wires to be separated from
those exercises which arc proper to higher branches of strategy and the an surrounding objects by a distance
the profession of arms. larger questions of military organiza- of not less tnan 8 or 10 feet. This may
A careful estimate of the actual tion. mean the use of higher poles ttt parts
strength of the German army ap- But after a few years of drudgery of the iine or even lengths of insu
peared in June in the Infantry Jour- faithfully performed Capt. von Her- lated cabie, but the cost would be
nal. under the signature of Major der got his reward when he was de- Dffset by the consequent freedom from
Charles Miller of the Seventh In- tached from his regiment once more line loss danger of breaking wires,
fantry. He gives the real military re- and appointed to the General otaff, and still moret jn the saving of val
sources of Germany, trained and un- this time for actual service with that uabje civilian lives. The public ought
trained, as about 7,000,000 men, of distinguished body. He now had the to reaiize that the same wire which
whom 4.000,000 have at one time or opportunity of putting to practical use only be 3i6ths of an inch in
another done a continuous period of the lessons he had learned during his diameter and look very innocent, is
service with the colors. The total years of study. He was attached for pae of transmitting many kilo
number of effective troops available duty to the staff of the general com- watts instantaneously to a human
for service In the field armies and in manding the Seventeenth Army Corps, body and comprises, in fact, a high
mobilized garrisons is 3.000,000 men, and it became his duty, aided by three power death-dealing electric gun. Two
of whom about 1.300.000 would he other starr omcers, 10 relieve me se- thousand volts at only one ampere is
classed as second-line troops. eral of all anxiety during manoeuvres equivalent to the force of more than
to arranging i u.o twn horse-oower: aDDlied electrically
The higher organization of the Ger- as
man army is divided as follows The troops, the prompt and accurate tQ a small portion of a body, it acts
Commander-in-Chief, the Military transmission of orders to regimental much hke a bullet as far as its power
Cabinet, the Ministry of War, and the commanders, the procuring and com- ff j concerned.
i rf'.l t '.AnitMl CnT rnilin I 1 Lil uuaoiuic iuui uinvu . . ,ncn m nn na ono-inoi cava
It is upon the officers and especially cerning the theatre of operations, tne tfcat foolish huntsmen constitute a
upon the higher courts that the at- supply of maps, the keeping or jour- menace to high-tension transmission
tention and curiosity of the world are nals and . diaries, the drawing up oi iines, ecause with the cowardly
now centered, for it is in the hands of reports on engagements and tne exact- braver of nonpublicity they shoot at
these men that Germany has placed ing details of reconnaissance jorw. &nd hU lhe hfe and Hne-saving in
the training of its troops, the prepa- Five years of this kind of du y ana sulators. So far has this menace pro
rations for battle, even the determi- Capt. von Herder found fel5 &a? ceeded that special steel-clad bullet-
nation in the last resort of the vital with his regiment once " - j Droof insuiators have had to be de-
question of War or Peace, had not long 10 wd ir:lfr signed. The repair of such a high
r Training a Staff Officer. ceived the final dwtinction apart from teg.on Hne .g nQ child.g play and the
fit us take a typical case, that of advancement m rank which can come foreman takes considerable responsi-
iMit. von Herder, now an officer of to a German csfii? bility when he sends back word to the
th- Great General Staff. Twenty mejot to the Great General fe. er.nouse that the line is clear.
"rs ago at the end of a hard day's The captain s duties now a" ghould a single lineman remain on
orK at the autumn manoeuvres the an enureiy """J; r mav the pole when the 13.200 or highei
1'utenant was summoned to the tent years he was attachea to voltage supply is turned on, instani
" the colonel commanding his regi- be called the Intellig e"caeffDePafm death is a probability.
-Lieut, von Herder," said the of the Great General Staff His i jork said
Olim 1 'T f.rcrt.oii1of X'mi oil VOlir here .Was U "Ji;l . I Dlotripitv Hut n pvorv
rk i shall propose your name for ranging an enojmoM Jtrles with precaution for safety." It is not safe
att ,u hnient to the general staff." mation nr10mhtCpU0 to have a loaded gun pointed at a
.. Ujth his head in the air and the which Germany mignt possioi citizen: it is no safer to expose
or triumph in his eye the lieu- nerseir at mtellisence De- him to the bare or insufficiently insu
rant saluted, left the tent and re- In the hies of "l, Vi Vounds of lated "electric gun." The ues of elec-
if only it is
and applied;
and spells
with its frightful consequences of
disease and violence.
"I confidently hope that the appeal
of the American commission will meet
with a generous response. The
whole hearted friendship shown by
American people at this time always
will be a precious memory.
(Signed) "ALUKUT"
The American Commission for re
lief in Belgium, an otheial body rec
ognized by the various governments.
is tne only channel inrougn wnicn
food can be introduced into Helgium.
By its association with a committer
in Belgium it has an efficient agency
for food distribution. 11. C. Hoover,
chairman of the commission, today
issued an appeal to American news
papers, in which belaid:
"We have received reports from
members of this commission vh-
were sent into Belgium. Their re
ports show that there are still some
7,000,000 people in Belgium. In many
centers the people are receiving an
allowance of a little more than three
ounces of flour per capita daily.
"Our experts calculate that to avoid
actual starvation Belgium must have
every month a minimum of 60,00
tons of wheat, 15,000 tons of corn.
5,000 tons of peas or beans, and a
imited amount of bacon or lard. All
his will cost $4,000,000 or $5,000,000
monthly. There is no money in Bel
gium, lhe wnoie creait machinery
has ceased. Eighty per cent of the
people are unemployed.
"A plan may be devised whereby
such Belgians as possess property may
give obligations to pay when the war
ends, but even if we could realize on
these obligations we mun still have
at least $2,500,000 monthly in food
or money with which to buy it.
"During the past week we have re
ceived and expended in emergency
food $600,000 and yet this is only four
days supply. The problem is im
mediate. The Belgians are helping
themselves, but they can do little.
The British and French are under
such strain that they also can do lit
tle. Besides these nations, together
with the Dutch, have a million re
fugees on their hands. Americans
must feed Belgium this winter. Ther
never was such a call on American
charity and there never was a famine
emergency so great,
"Will you. therefore, in the in
terests of humanity, open a subscrip
tion among your readers, ear-marked
'For the sole purpose of purchasing
and transporting food.' Kvery dollar
so raised will be used to purchase food
in the United States."
Used "Ground Hog" Machine.
"ineci his comrades. Whatever feel- Partmn;"V n o doubt s gned in the tricity is entirely safe
n f disappointment may have reports, some no doubt signea "! -,v transmitted
""rneu in their breasts, his fellow stiff, forma, mbu . j information, misused it has no mercy
others hastened to give him their der con taming cla. sifted no f
k"od wishes. He had been chosen constantly Kept up
Siler City Grit.
James C Smith, of Route 1. last
week threshed his wheat crop of fifty
or so bushels by means of an old
fashion "ground hog" machine He
was unable to get the thresher he
wanted last summer, and so he waited
and did his own threshing with the
above mentioned ancient machii e.
A remarkable capacity was uemon
strated recently at the firs', perform
ance of a new locomotive bought by
a Western road. It hauled at a rate
of 14 miles an hour fully loaded 50
ton gondola cars to a length of one
and six tenths miles. The train had j
to be started with the help of other
locomotive? to avoid pulling out th
drawheads.