UNEASY SPIRIT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 19 November 1915, Page 3

UNEASY SPIRIT.

THE RESTLESS KAISER. Many stories are otld concerning the activities of the Kaiser at the front. He is continuously rushing along the fighting line day and night (writes Oregon Retroff in the “Russkoye Slbvo”). Everywhere he attends the meetings of the Generals. Night alarms are made for his advantage, and night reviews of the troops are held. Now and again ao stops the scouts and interrogates individual officers and soldiers.

“Come here-’’ he says. “Do you understand why you are going out reconnoitring?” Again he asks, “What is the mood of the soldiers in your detachment. Do they put confidence in their chiefs?” Then, without saying farewell, he concludes: “Tell your comrades that I am with you. that I am thinking cf and suffering for you, that everything will be ready for you —good roads, plenty of food, and the most clever Generals.” SEES EVER Vh HING. The Kaiser does really see everything in the army. He has issued an order to the effect that nothing must be disturbed on the scene of a big battle until he has arrived —the fie'd filled with the dead, the lines of trenches, the damage to the fortress —all must remain as it was at the end of the fight until the Kaiser himself appears. Early in the morning, before the troops are awake, he visits the scene of the fight and makes a valuation of the victory and of the acts of the various commanders. He asks how, by whom, and why certain orders were issued, and dismisses on the spot all untalented or hesitating commanders for even the smallest mistakes. Where atempts are made to gloss over the faults cf these men by the remark “They are old servants' of the State,” he breaks in very abruptly: "Well, they won’t be employed an longer. I am very sorry-, gentlemen, that such good-for-nothing fellows have hem employed so long.” TOSSES ASIDE FAILURES. At each meeting of the chiefs of the Army he invariably stated, ‘There must be no doubt, no hesitation; we have no time 'or hesitation, or to watch whether a certain man will spoil the operations or not. War is not the proper time to institute examinations or to tesi mediocrities. When it would be found that such or such a man was unfit for bis post, it would be too late, for the business would be spoiled, the prospects of the army would be damaged, and many people would lose their Ivies for nothing.” When dismissing unfit commanders he is in the habit of saying, ‘They are only fit for logs for the fire.” “It is impossible that we have got no good commanders,” he proceeded. “If there are none among the principal officers there are many among the soldiers, and it is your duty to look for and recognise such talent. Give me a tower to crown the edifice which you have built. Stop and destroy the Russian army, or the attempt will he afterwards impossible. Let the German troops strain all their efforts.”