THE POWER OF DISCIPLINE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 19, 9 May 1907, Page 37

THE POWER OF DISCIPLINE

Frederick the Great of Prussia was at "his palace at Potsdam*, when some of his 'orders by their excessive severity caused great discontent among the Prussian troops ; so the soldiers then in garrison resolved to avjail themselves of that ease and facility with which Frederic.* could at all times be approachbd by them ; and thus .a deputation of Grena, Mers of Qgi'lvie marched, deliberately from their tfarracks across the great s,quar,e which lies before the palace and halted' at the porch. An officer in waiting— afterwards the great FieldMarshal Keith, who was killed in battle by the Austrians at HochJucbent— acquainted th\e King of their arrival, adding : ' Shall I ondler them back to barracks, sire, or place them' under arrest ? ' IDo neither ; they have come to see me, and' see roc they shall. Good soldiers have nothing to fear from me, and the regiment of Ogilvie is one of the finest in Prussia. I shall try on them the power of discipline ! ' Frederick hastily put on his shabby old uniform, his long jaclo-boots, which bad never known blacking, his orders of knighthood, his cocked hat, sword and siash. ' Sire,' urged Keith, ' will there not be an inconvenience in all this ? ' ' To whom ? ' 1 To you, sire.' ' How, comrade Keith— how ? ' ' Discussion will lead to other deputed onis, and every order yiour Majesty may Issue will be dissected and cavilled at in turn in every guard-room and beer-shop in Prussia.' "No matter, comrade ; march the rascals in ; I'll trust to the ppwer of discipline.' In' they c^me accordingly, twenty' tall and swinging fellows, all after Frederick's own heart, Uut the appearance of the. King, dressed as if for parade, awed them into total silence. ' Achtung ! '-(attention !) eried 1 foe, drawing bis sword, 'to the right face— front ! To the left faoa— front ! ' These commands the deputation, who were formed in line, obeyed in perfect silence, wondering what was to follow a reception so unexpected ; and then Frederick cried suddenly, 'To the right about face, to your barracks, 'quick march.! ' Then, as he never gave the word ' halt,' they felt compelled to raaJroh on, and the old King; and Marshal Keith laughed heartily as the baffled deputation disappeared within the 'barraqk-yard, where their expectant comrades gathered round them to hear the report of how Freeriok had received the complaint. IWe have never opened our lips,' said the oldest grenadier, with a very heavy, crestfallen expression. 1 Der Teufel ! did not you see the King ? ' cried they. ' We have just left him ' •' Blockheads ! and why did you not follow your instructions ? ' ' It was impossible.' , ' Impossible !— and why so ? ' ' Beqause when we saw old Father Frederick in his figbting^coat and dirty boots and heard bis' voice of command, our hearts failed us, and the— power of dis- - cipline proved too great.'