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46 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
The Chief thought for a moment. Permission to visit the
front had already been granted to me by the Emperor, and
it only remained to decide which would be the best place for
me to begin my observations. The army of the German
Crown Prince was the nearest, only a couple of hours away.
The Chief would arrange everything for my journey, and I
was shortly to receive details of the programme. " Of course,
there can be no question of safety in the fighting zone," he
said, "it is not far away. If you listen you can hear the
thunder of guns from Verdun."
Later in the day I was the possessor of a so-called Ausweis
or permit signed by the Chief of the General Staff, and inti-
mating that I had " permission to witness the course of events
at the different sections of the army " and requesting " all
authorities in command to meet my wishes as far as they
possibly could," and to assist me with word and deed. This
document was to me an " open sesame." It gave me almost
unlimited liberty of movement. Once I had begun I could
go practically where I liked. But it did not take me long to
realise that I had been wrong in thinking that a couple of
weeks would suffice for a layman to get an insight into the
complicated apparatus of a field army ; a couple of months
would be nearer the mark. I hasten to add that the time I
spent at the front was far from sufficient. For every step one
takes, for every hour that passes, one is overwhelmed with
fresh impressions which there is no time to assimilate, and
when the first month is gone one retains but a very superficial
conception of this enormously complicated piece of machinery,
which nevertheless under the firm hand of the master runs as
smoothly and noiselessly as clockwork.
Then we spoke of other things. I learnt that a troop train
passes through Luxemburg station every half-hour, and that
the only pause is at midday to prevent congestion. It is the
pulse which beats in the arteries of the German railway
system. One wave of human energy after another thus sweeps
out towards the battlefields and flings itself against the
enemy’s fire ; the spirit of gaiety resounds from the over-
filled wagons, accompanied by the glorious songs of Deutsch-
land, Deutschland iiber Alles and Die Wacht am Rhein.
There is no trace of fear, not a sign of despondency anywhere.
All are willing and cheerful. What would life be worth as long
as the dear fatherland was not free and great and powerful
!
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