The clockworks of mobilization; perfect order and quiet
everywhere--General acceptance by all classes and factions of the
necessities of a war not sought by Germany.
The German mobilization was the greatest movement of people that the
world has ever seen. Nearly four million men had to be transported from
every part of the empire to her borders. The manner in which the
population is distributed made this task extremely difficult. Berlin,
Rhenish Westphalia, Upper Silesia and Saxony especially had to send
their contingents in every direction, since the eastern provinces are
more thinly settled and had to have a stronger guard for the borders
immediately. The result was a hurrying to and fro of thousands and
hundreds of thousands of soldiers, besides a flood of civilians who had
to reach their homes as soon as possible. Countries where the population
is more regularly distributed have an easier task than Germany, with its
predominating urban population. The difficulties of the gigantic
undertaking were also increased by the necessity for transporting war
materials of every sort. In the west are chiefly industrial
undertakings, in the east mainly agricultural. Horse raising is mostly
confined to the provinces on the North Sea and the Baltic, but chiefly
to East Prussia, and this province, the furthest away from France, had
to send its best horses to the western border, as did also
Schleswig-Holstein and Hanover. Coal for our warships had to go in the
other direction. From the Rhenish mines it went to the North Sea, from
Upper Silesia to the Baltic. Ammunition and heavy projectiles were
transported from the central part of the empire to the borders. And
everywhere these operations had to be carried on with haste. One can
thus say that the German mobilization was the greatest movement of men
and materials that the world has ever seen.
And how was it carried on? No one could have wondered if there had been
hundreds of unforeseen incidents, if military trains had arrived at
their stations with great delays, if there had resulted in many places a
wild hugger-mugger from the tremendous problems on hand. But there was
not a trace of this. On the Monday evening of the first week of
mobilization a high officer of the General Staff said: "It had to go
well today, but how about tomorrow, the main day?" Tuesday evening saw
no reason for complaint, no delay, no requests for instructions. All had
moved with the regularity of clockwork. Regiments that had been ordered
to mobilize in the forenoon left in the evening for the field, fully
equipped. Not a man was lacking. There were no deserters, no shirkers,
no cowards. Instead, there were volunteers whose numbers far exceeded
the number that could be used. Every German wanted to do his duty.
The most noteworthy thing was the earnest quietness with which the
gigantic gathering proceeded. Not a city, not a village reported unrest
or even an untoward incident. The separation was hard for many a
soldier. Many a volunteer tore himself away from his dear ones with
bleeding heart, but with face beaming with the light of one who looks
forward to victory. Following the Kaiser's wish, those who remained
behind filled the churches and, kneeling, prayed to God for victory for
the just German cause. The folk-war, brought on by the wantonness of the
opponents, in itself brought peace and order, safety and discipline.
Never, probably, have the police had fewer excesses to deal with than in
the days of the mobilization, although great crowds gathered constantly
in every city.
The best criterion of the enthusiasm of the people is without doubt the
number of volunteers. More than 1,000,000 of these, a number greater
than that of the standing army, presented themselves within a few days.
They came from all classes. There were sons of the nobility, university
students, farmers, merchants, common laborers. No calling hung back.
Every young man sorrowed when he was rejected. No section of the
Fatherland was unrepresented, not even the Reichsland Alsace-Lorraine,
where, indeed, the number of volunteers was conspicuously great. When
the lists in various cities had to be closed, the young men who had not
been accepted turned away with tears in their eyes, and telegraphed from
regiment to regiment, hoping to find one where there were still
vacancies. Where the sons of the wealthy renounced the pleasures of
youth and the comforts of their homes to accept the hardships of war in
serving the Fatherland, the poor and the poorest appeared in like
degree. In families having four or five sons subject to military duty a
youngest son, not yet liable for service, volunteered. The year 1870,
truly a proud year in our history, saw nothing like this.
A thing that raised the national enthusiasm still higher was the
appearance of the troops in brand-new uniforms, complete from head to
foot. The first sight of these new uniforms of modest field gray,
faultlessly made, evoked everywhere the question: Where did they come
from? On the first day of mobilization dozens of cloth manufacturers
appeared at the War Ministry with offers of the new material. "We don't
need any," was the astonishing reply. Equal amazement was caused by the
faultless new boots and shoes of the troops, especially in view of the
recent famous "boot speech" of the French Senator Humbert.
Small arms, cannons, and ammunition are so plentiful that they have
merely to be unpacked. In view of all this, it is no wonder that the
regiments marching in were everywhere greeted with jubilation, and that
those marching out took leave of their garrisons with joyful songs. No
one thinks of death and destruction, every one of victory and a happy
reunion. German discipline, once so slandered, now celebrates its
triumph.
There was still another matter in which the troops gave their countrymen
cause for rejoicing. Not one drunken man was seen during these earnest
days in the city streets. The General Staff had, moreover, wisely
ordered that during the mobilization, when every one had money in his
pockets, alcoholic drinks were not to be sold at the railroad stations.
Despite this, the soldiers did not lack for refreshments on their
journey. Women and girls offered their services to the Red Cross, and
there was no station where coffee, tea, milk, and substantial food were
not at the disposal of the soldiers. They were not required to suffer
hunger or any other discomfort. The German anti-alcoholists are
rejoicing at this earnest tribute to their principles, which were at
first laughed at and then pitied, but triumphed in the days of the
mobilization.
The army is increased to many times its ordinary strength by the
mobilization. It draws from everywhere millions of soldiers, workmen,
horses, wagons, and other material. The entire railway service is at its
disposal. The mobilization of the fleet goes on more quietly and less
conspicuously, but not less orderly and smoothly. Indeed, it is, even in
peace times, practically mobilized as to its greatest and strongest
units. For this reason its transports are smaller than those of the
army; they are concentrated in a few harbors, and, therefore, do not
attract so much public attention. The naval transports, working
according to plans in connection with those of the army, have moved
their quotas of men and materials with the most punctual exactitude. The
naval reserve of fully trained officers and men is practically
inexhaustible. The faithful work of our shipbuilding concerns, carried
on uninterruptedly day and night under plans carefully prepared in time
of peace, has wrought for our navy a strong increase in powerful
warships.
As is known, the German fleet is built on the so-called
"assumption-of-risk" plan. That is, it is intended that it shall be so
strong that even the strongest sea power, in a conflict with the
Germans, risks forfeiting its former rôle as a world factor. This "risk"
idea has been hammered into the heart of every German seaman, and they
are all eager to win for the fleet such glory that it can be favorably
contrasted with the deeds of the old and the new armies.
Contrary to general expectation, the German fleet has taken the
offensive, and the first loss of the war was on the English side and in
English waters, the English cruiser Amphion running on to German mines
in the mouth of the Thames. In the Baltic and the Mediterranean also
German ships have taken the offensive against the enemies' coast, as is
shown by the bombardment by the Germans of the war harbor of Libau and
of fortified landing places on the Algerian coast.
Thus the fleet, confiding in the "risk" idea now proved to be true, and
in its earnest and courageous spirit, may look forward with confidence
to coming events.
But will not civilians have to hunger and thirst in these days? That is
an earnest question. The answer is, No. Even in Berlin, city of
millions, the milk supply did not fail for a day. Infants will not have
to bear the privations of war. All provisions are to be had at
reasonable prices. Empire, municipalities and merchants are working
successfully together to insure that there shall be a sufficient food
supply at not too great a cost. Not only is our great army mobilized,
but the whole folk is mobilized, and the distribution of labor, the food
question and the care of the sick and wounded are all being provided
for. The whole German folk has become a gigantic war camp, all are
mobilized to protect Kaiser, Folk and Fatherland, as the closing report
of the Reichstag put it. And all Germany pays the tribute of a salute to
the chiefs of the army and navy, who work with deeds, not words.
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