Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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6 The Spectator Germany, in 1712, and died in 1786. F rederick's writings were mostly in French, because he hated the German language, and once said that it was the language for the peasants. Many of his writings, especially his Antimacliievel, had their origin in the rural tranquillity of Theinsburgh. Some of Frederick's writings appeared during his lifetime, but most of them appear- ed in Oeuvres Postumes in 1788-1789. The Academy of Ber- lin revised this edition and in 1846-1857 published it, with his private literature and correspondence, under 0euvres de Fred- erick le Grand in 31 Volumes. From 1745-1750 Frederick de- voted most of his time, with the greatest activity, to the domes- tic administration, to the improvement of the army, and at the same time 'to authorship. It was during this period of his life that he wrote, Memoirs pour servira L'Histoire de Branden- boroughf' his poem L'Art de la Guerref' and other works in prose and verse. 1 The earliest of our great military men .who became a suc- fcessful writer was Ulysses S. Grant. Grant's most famous writ- ings were his lVfemoirs.', His writings were like his character, they were the embodiment of directness. Wlien he sent his dis- patches in time of war, they Were written hastily and Without forethought, and often sent off without the change of a word. Such was the case with his terms with Lee, with his uncondi- tional surrender, his Letter to Buckingham and his cele- brated dispatch: I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes me all summer. just as memorable are his words which fol- lowed his acceptance, in 1868, of the nomination for the presi- dency, Let us have Peace. On his deathbed, when he was no longer able to speak, he wrote the following: I feel that we are on the eve of a new era, when there is to be great harmony between the Federals and Confederates. I can not stay to be a living witness to the correctness of this prophecy, but I feel it within me that it is to be so. The universally kind feeling expressed for me at a time when it was supposed that each day would prove my last, seems to me to be the beginning of the answer, 'Let us have Peacef Another great personage in military affairs who has be- come well known as a writer, is Robley Dunstan Evans, of the United States Navy. He was born in 1840. Admiral Evans

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The Spectator 5 numerous suggestions rose above the rumpus. Soon we were disentangled and started across the campus like whipped pups. VVe seven wiser Sophs did not even become angry when we looked up and saw our cowpuncher Fresh laughing himself sick. Then he yelled something at us and drew down the blind, casting that end of the Dorm in pitchlike darkness. Military Men as Writers By J. Lewis Evans ,II ' ILITARY men are, as a whole, very rough and ready characters, this being the cause, in many cases, for their success in military life and in their military careers. Although they are of somewhat rough character, they are among the fm- est writers on political or social questions. I will give a brief account of five of the most important military myen who became well known in the literary world as writers on subjects that oc- cupied the minds of the people of their particular day. The five men I have chosen are Moltke and Frederick The Great of Germany, and Ulysses S. Grant, Robley D. Evans and Theodore Roosevelt of the United States. The first military man ,whom I will dwell on is Count Karl Von Moltke, of the great Franco-Prussian War. He was born at Parchim, Prussia, in 18oo, and died in 1891. He entered the Prussian army very young. Count Von Moltke wrote one of the finest accounts of the Franco-Prussian Vtfar ever published. It was printed in book form in 1870 and 1871. He spent about three hours each morning on this line history until it was lin- ished. He did not write memoirs, for he hated them, and he once said: If I have any memoirs, I hope they may be buried with my body. In the year 1888 Moltke wrote a book describ- ing very accurately the famous Russian-Turkish 'campaigns oi 1828-1829 in European Turkey. Not long afterwards he wrote Letters on the Affairsiin Turkey in the Years 1835-I83Q.i, In 1892 were published Letters, and The Italian War of 1866. Another military man who became well known for his writings was Frederick The Great. He was born ine Berlin,

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The Spectator 7 1 was both a great naval otiicer and a man of great forethought and engineering skill. He shows this in his many fine maga- zine articles. His three most important magazine articles ap- pear in Hampton's Magazine for January, February and March, 1910. In January he writes on the Panama Canal. In Feb- ruary he writes on Will the Panama Canal Be a Bad Business Venture ? In March he discusses the question of whether the' railroads will throttle the Panama Canal. In these three ar- ticles Admiral Evans maintains that the Panama Canal, the greatest engineering feat of America, must be made a free con- tribution to the industrial world. Once made a free canal, if controlled by public interest, it will be the regulator of rail- roads. The guarantee of cheaper rates, and the move to de- velop the marine as a faculty of commerce in peace and an auxiliary force to the navy in war, and last of all it will aid to further the cause of Universal Peace. The last great military leader of literary fame is Theodore Roosevelt. When Roosevelt was twenty-five years of age, he wrote his first book. At that time he was one of the fighters of the legislature of New York State. A few years later he be- came a ranchman, and wrote a book on his ranch life. In IQOO he wrote a book on the life and characteristics of Oliver Crom- well. When Roosevelt became Vice-President he wrote The Strenuous Life. While on his recent trip into the depths of the African forests he wrote many articles concerning the life and history of different animals. These articles are now pub- lished in book form. His latest speech of note was that delivered before the Uni- versity of Paris on April 22. His subject dealt with tlfe teach- ing of the young man and his duties of citizenship. It was pub lished throughout the whole world. I The works of these five great military writers are most in- teresting reading for both young and adult. Moltke's History of the Franco-Prussian War is one of the most interesting and instructive books I have ever read. It explains many great military expeditions in a way that the reader would think him- self he was in the war. Grant's Memoirs is another fine book, which describes many of the encounters in which Grant partici- pated. The works of Roosevelt most of us have read in the