The Wonder of War on Land

y as the first vibration fro

, the Fourth o

ok and rose. His shoulder c

an guns!"

ing of breath among the

e master, his voice vibrant with passion. "Those shells, now

at seven o'clock on Sunday evening, without any provocation whatever, Germany announced she wou

ing a German force attacked us at Visé, bombarded

boy of the school. "You told us, sir, that Belgium is perp

on, humanity, progress, liberty-all the things which men have fought and died for-depend on the faith of a plighted word. If a man's gauge and a nation's

to do, sir?" asked Horace M

y weapon we have, yes, if we have to throw ourselves at the enemy's throat with naked hands. Such of our troops as we coul

nt, sir?" as

cave-bear

d with an exci

e school, sir?" t

eyes. His gaze caught those of his pupils, one after the other. Some were

is desk and leaned far

I can trust y

ide flashed over the faces

what war means. It spells horrors such as cannot be imagined. It turns men into beasts, or-" he paused, "into heroes. There is no middle gr

at the b

can trust you

r!" shouted a

knowing that any one who fails or b

o the boys' consciousness. Dimly they realized that the issue was s

roke the

at you should distru

t flashed a qu

"that is all. It is your youth,

one. Each boy returned his g

t you," the

he lads watching him, wrote in heavy lette

ter said, when he had finished writing. "I am to trust yo

greeted him. Not

soil; as boys of Belgium, sons of a land that has never known dishonor; as boys of Belgium, who have worked with me in th

sir," they

ut I leave behind me a greater teacher than m

of his desk and fastened the plac

the on

TR

that word stands there. Let no one be absent. Let none neglect his work. Let the older lads help the younger. As for your c

d these words, the roar of the cann

the master. "School is d

, but, once outside, a babel of questions and exclama

rifle, sir!" he said,

ist looked sha

your military serv

ou said, sir, yesterday, that if there wer

patriot began, but De

n, sir," he said. "

r example in the schoo

ok his head

ir," he replied. "The fel

Then, knotting his forehead, he asked, "Who

the boy named, "I

me think. You were not born

onded Horace, "

r pondere

then, in this war

hed at the

, sir," he said. "You don't think, sir,

d in satisfactio

lied, as though speaking to

ool door and gave

nroe," he added. "I want to gi

sir," Hora

unteering, you had better go home at once and talk the matter over with your parents. I will call a

to let me go!" announced

become an artist?" qu

st!" Descham

e of boyish bombast, but, none the less,

said, "in that case I will

ay, sir?" asked half a dozen of the

cided reply, "mos

n!" piped up one of the sm

hand kindly on the

art to think of what may happen to this little village if the red tide of war rol

fewer shouts than usual, eager to tell at home the strange happenings of that day at school. Horace and the master turned toward the end of the village, t

ith age and experience. They will need the curb, not the whip. I am torn with the idea of leaving the sc

going to do there,

ry and my old battery is at Fort Boncelles. I hope they will let me go there, but guns have changed a great

that you're going, sir?" asked H

talked about the possible German invasion, but I said not

character, and he would have given a good deal not to be compelled to go into the house,

German guns

master, halting

t is al

he sighed. "Alas

ed into the house,

the window, lay

d the master,

ld fail you," she said, "

o the inner r

ents, the wo

ddressing Horace. "M. Maubin tells me that you are going to walk part

er. But they wouldn't let me. You see," he continued, "I'm an

a moment. He remembered having heard that the master's wife possessed str

school is

he school is not closed. M. Maubi

s' keeping?" she queried.

e appeal to the honor of the school a

face glowe

said, impulsively, "I w

stiff

said, "but the master

ed at the lad's quick

haps, after school hours, if there are any of the younger children who need hel

of "The

olonel, Ca

nce and Italy have been of inv

om opened and the master entered, in un

fit. It is twenty years since I wore it last

yesterday," sh

thing!" exclaimed the

d, "it was not difficult to guess that danger was very close. And, Jea

around his wife as he handed

emember it: The strength of a country is

European politics, and I can't quite make head or tail out of the muddle. So far as I understand, Austria quarreled with Servia because the Crown Prince was shot by a Servian.

glanced a

in a few words," he said, "but you are right in wanting to k

ce which had been wrested from its former owner. Very often, this indirect but real cause is cloaked by some petty incident which looms up as the direct cause

Civil War due to t

disturbed balance of economic conditions betw

sh-American War a

ke of Spain and possess the territory for themselves, and Spain, not

Horace. "Is it for com

ommercial expansion. The direct cause of the war is Austria's desire for revenge on Servia's plotting

France, and England hold the belief that international affairs can be regulated by honorable agreements, as betwee

greatest army the world has ever seen. She has done more, she has made militarism a part of the very fiber of the German soul. It is not the Mailed Fist which

re than one-half of the population is Slav. The empire is a mass of disorganized units held together by force and since Austria lacks this force, she is compel

comes in!" exclaimed Hor

Stefano, a strip of territory inhabited by Servians was given to Bulgaria. The Treaty of Berlin, supported by all the European Powers, declared Servia's independence but did not return the territory. For ye

Treaty of Berlin. This act of national dishonor almost precipitated a European War. To Servia's ambitions it was a death-blow, for it placed Austr

poiling for trouble," s

n an address from the throne, stated that 'the flame of the hatred of Servia for myself and my house has ever blazed higher,' and he declared-not without reason-that 'a criminal propaganda has extended over

n or group of nations must be allowed to get too strong. Since Germany and Austria are allies, other n

eried Horace. "They

f 1871, when Alsace-Lorraine was taken from her. Russia could never cope single-handed with the military forces of Germany and Austria. If, h

via," said Horace slowly, "France

ds the north shore of France, is patrolled by a British fleet. On Saturday last, three days ago, England assured France that, in the event of trouble with Germany, she would protect French

ntion, leaning forward wi

and killed by a Servian student. The crime occurred in the streets of Serajevo, capital of the province of Bosnia, which Austria had wrongfully annexed six

. On July 23, Austria sent an outrageous and peremptory ultimatum to Servia. That little country, realizing that the assassination had plac

jected Horace, "she would

ia to give Servia more time. Austria, in consultation with Germany, told Russia to keep 'hands off.' It was clear, then, that Austria intended to use the assassination as a pretext to gobble up Servia in the sa

ked the boy; "I've heard the word us

eld and at the bases, wounded transportation and ambulance systems, stables, forage depots and veterinary stations for the cavalry and artillery horses, repair shops for military machinery, supply depots for uniforms and equipment, and a thousand other things besides. Each of these must interlock and have its place. Each one must mo

f all that," said H

with the reply to the ultimatum. This was equal to a declaration of war. The next day, Russia, seeing Germany's hand behind the Austrian plot, warned the Kaiser that interferenc

and Russian sentries on the frontier. On July 28, war began between Austria and Servia. Great Britain, at this time, w

ordering her to cease mobilization within 12 hours. She sent an ultimatum to France demanding neutrality and assert

hat r

and ally Servia already under the fire of Austrian guns; it was equally impossible

n August 2-that was the day before yesterday-German troops crossed the French frontier at three points and invaded

neutral? Can't she go to war? I

in 1839, we form 'an independent state of perpetual neutrality,' this treaty being signed by France, England, Prussia, Austria, and Russia. In 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, Germany declared that this Bel

honor. History, with all its dark and bloody deeds, has never seen a more dastardly flaunting of disgrace and treachery. Observe that Germany had invaded Luxemburg, invaded

hour that we can hold them back before Liége, gives Belgium and France the opportunity to prepare, gi

eaded Horace, as the ma

agged into the war later-there is never any means of telling how long such a war may last-and then, perhaps, you will be calle

on his cap and waited in the village street. The master joined him in a

usingly, "if I will ev

was bringing the war hom

that you think

nly. That is all War consists of-killing and being killed.

cant moments noth

pproached. As they reached the gate, the would-be recruit came swinging out. He t

re of him, M. Mau

st take care of him. He is his cou

her sai

traight,

ys had marched from the little village to join the colors, there had been a certain air of martial gaye

y of "J

ian Bo

r service at the front and for di

pite his distorted frame and who was known as the cleve

going, M.

s evi

whe

swered, "I hope to be allowed to join it. They will

They leave to-morrow," the hunchback s

oquier," rejoined the mast

with their brisk walk. "You don't think a day will make any difference, do you, M. Maubin? Our goo

made twenty years ago. This lad and I will help to keep the invaders b

ck answered, eagerly. "They shall hear what you have s

!" the ma

f Beaufays and struck out upon the road leading into Liége. It was a glorious evening

he German General Staff were providing for them a fattening feast on the horrid fruits of war. The crops were ripe for harvest. All was peaceful to view, but a sullen shaking vibration at irregular intervals told the cannons' tale of

e, "that you said every one would be needed. Why is there

the Germans are counting on speed and surprise. T

the Germans march either to the north or sou

t is a question of the Line of Communication. An army is composed of human beings. First

en get hungry, men get thirsty, men get tired. In real warfare, where many hours of hard marching a

their limbs; can I trust them to press upon the retreating enemy and crush him? Men cannot fight well unless they are fed well, and men cannot fig

derable proportion of its men in hospitals from sickness, and, after the first battle, there are thousands of wounded to be surgically treated and nu

munition. Machine guns will fire 30,000 shots in an hour. Both light and heavy artillery depend for their results on continuous hammeri

It takes 9,000 non-combatants in the field to look after this army, the train including ten provision columns, with special field bakeries and field slaughter-houses, ten ammunition columns, twelve field hospitals, to say nothing of special bridge sections and a host of minor but essential units. Picture to yourse

ve to every advancing army that its rear, its Line of Communication, be safe from attack by the enemy. It is the artery which carries its life-blood. You can easily see that, for such an

s the broken, mountainous country of the Ardennes, uncrossed by railways and impossible as a line of transport. Troops could only m

ge. Suppose it did so. What then? After the main army had passed, we could sally forth from Liége, cut the Li

them to proceed. Not until the last gun is silenced in Forts Loncin, Flemalle and Boncelles is Western Europe th

ége fall?" a

e master, "is what

his hand

e coming near

h when the ground shook with a heavy

eclared the old reservist; "that

rg?" querie

to go back, Monroe," he said. "If Liége is already in a st

Embourg?" begged Horace. "You m

if you're so keen about it, you may come as far as the ring of

Canterre'

ny little cakes there, now that the guns of Embourg have begun to reply. You may be su

eclared Horace, enviously, "going

nded the old reservist; "a raw recruit is not likely to be sent direct to the fighting

for haste," said Deschamps, "why do I have to enlist as a

e explosion of a bursting shell so

e countries. A civilian, not in uniform, who is caught in the act of fighting with the enemy, is treated as a spy and shot. The Germans even refused to recognize the organized French franc-tireurs in the war of 18

ality of its own actions.' Massacre and barbarism lie behind Germany's announcement that 'if a single non-combatant in a city or village fires a shot against occupying troops, that city or village shall be considered as having rendered it

exploding on the further side

d, but neither of the boy

ike?" asked Horace curiously.

st a sidewise

en a large shell

sponded

reservist commented, "yo

quite as near, wh

, the incredulity in his tone revealing how little he realiz

said the master, qu

step by step

corner," he protested; "it's

came drifting a s

k I'll see-"

d, in the early dusk, the flash and the cauliflower

, elation in his voice. "Wait till they

ught them within direc

master, "they're g

oys h

old. Then, suddenly, without a sign or sound of warning, this dome belched flame and smoke, rocking the earth around. Then down, down sank the grim gray

terrible and malign in the slow rising of that goblin dome

o, then you have seen a burden of death, of suffering and of carnage starting on its way. War is a horrible th

rther brought them

must go ba

t road ahead of him, winding peacef

he said. "I do want to see

of "The

e Herald

ish lines on the Somme, smashing t

mnly, "for every hour of your life up to this time

h and

k the boy in the face

s struggling back. It was as though his brain were a jagged mountain whic

hes, stunned and dazed. Gropingly

l of singeing on his clothes. A terrific nausea possessed him, caused, though he d

g of unreality, the boy staggered

ettling. The air still seemed to rock backwards and forwards with th

e were t

nt, Horace l

" he screamed, his high-pitched

h

a voice behind him. "You

rned at t

, beside Deschamps, who was stretched out limpl

nd sick with the shock of the shell and his head was ringing painfully. One ear seemed d

lled?" as

His wound will need instant attention. Unh

op, Horace lifted from its hinges one of the long sh

is," said the

him gently on the shutter, then picked up the bur

ce, as he took a firm grip

as the reply; "we must

undred yards when the screech o

the master, "and lie

rdly touched ground when a shell hit a house not more than eighty yards in front of them. The boy saw the great shell, like a black st

s in your ears!"

the place where the house had stood there remained only a rising column of brick-dust, rosy red. Above this towered a petaled cloud of black smo

look of panic had crept into his eyes. Not for the world, though, would he have admitte

p the stretch

as they entered the village, and, turning, me

ou, Doctor!" s

reply, "I'm hurrying to Liége. They ne

nter," said

halted and

!" he ex

d their burden into the hous

he wound. He hasn't practiced for ten years, but eve

hamps on the o

bandages which the master had tied around the wou

hed for his

said, "totally blind, w

been an artist,"

urgeon. "War is made

TNO

cret documents were not made public until 1918. The author

gian Garde Civique would be considered as non-combatant.