Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1893 — Ennui of Officers. [ARTICLE]

Ennui of Officers.

Alluding to one or two conspicuous recent instances, the New York World says: Neither neuralgia nor drink nor insanity nor debt is necessary to make a United States army officer feel like committing suicide. Slow promotion and lack of occupation causes many an ambitious man to occasionally wonder if life is worth living. Nevertheless very few undertake to decide practically that it is not. Nothing is easier to demonstrate than that men who are worth anything at all must sometimes vary either their employment or their enjoyment. The profession of arms opens up the most glorious possibilities in times of war, especially in the service of a nation which is as well calculated to take care of itself as the United States. But it may prove exceedingly lonesome as it is certainly monotonous in times of peace in a country like this, where the arts of peace are always to the fore, except in the very heat of conflict. In. Germany, on the contrary, these hypochondriacs would be the jqlliest of fellows, having men whom they could command almost absolutely and having for their imperial master a young.fellow who may not correctly understand the first principles of campaigning, hut who loves military reviews better than he loves even the empress and his children, and almost as well as he loves his all-important self. „ In other armies in Europe also the Jaded, lonesome American officer

turnea European could reflect that millions were toiling and delving for him. Here he sees hundreds of thousands coining money and getting cartloads of enjoyment while he lives off of reveille and taps. But, save for the few thus inconvenienced, it is all right A commercial nation, easily mobilizable, does not need to imitate tottering despotism in turning its brave officers and men into mere janizaries.