A BUSINESS SOLDIER. [COMMUNICATED.]
RIFE and I were beginning to know one another better since he blurted out his ideas regarding the training of our manu- facturers, and I was always trying to draw him further in his own subject. We were sitting in our dug-out, in a very quiet part of the line—I remember it was that palatial dug-out in the sector the walls of which are covered with pictures from La Vie Parisienne: A gorgeous stove is in the centre, and there are at least five chairs and a large table ; it is the show dug-out and a real work of art, Any one who has done a relief there will recognize it. If this descrip- tion is insufficient, let me recall the fact that outside was a grave and headstone dedicated to one " Rifleman Sparrow," who, poor fellow, always reminded us of his existence when the wind blew from the west. Jones used to say that Sparrow, though dead, was still fighting by our side. As long as the wind told us Sparrow was them, so long we knew ourselves free from gas attack ; but if we missed Sparrow, then we looked to our gas helmets.
Rife had just come in after four hours' patient watching for Ger- man snipers, and told me how Carter had suddenly realized he was becoming old, and what a shock it had been. You see Carter was always maintaining that thirty-five was the prime of life, and that he could hold his own against any of the young men and so forth, and we were all a trifle tired of it, Rife because ho was past the prime of life, and it made me feel very immature when I remembered I was twenty-three. A sniper who loved his work, and offered to share his joy with any one who liked that sort of thing, had come to Rife and Carter to report that he had discovered a German periscope into the mirror of which he could look with his telescope, and that there he had gazed at the reflected image of a living Boche. He was very excited and wished to show him off, so the two followed him to his lair ; and on the way Carter, who prides himself on his knowledge of German cap badges, asked many questions, and amongst others, in an unguarded moment, whether the Boche was young or old. The sniper unhesitatingly replied " Old, Sir, very old h " " How old ? " asked Carter. " Thirty-five at least, Sir," said the sniper, and Carter said no more. It was amusing to Rife and me, and we sat and chuckled over it.
" What makes you so keen on sniping ? " I said, as I knew Rife had not led a sporting life. " Simply to reduce their numbers, Seton ; that is what we must do if we are going to win the war. Our people don't realize how dangerous these Germans are. I will tell you a story which has the merit of being true.
Some days before England declared war on Germany—it was a Sunday—the board of a great English company eat in anxious con- sultation. They were a for-sighted set of men, hard workers all, and had built up a successful business founded on efficiency in com- merce and fair dealing with their employees. They were not all Englishmen, but they were patriotic, and the situation caused them great anxiety for their country and their interests. Amongst a host of other goods, they were manufacturers of a certain article, in the sale of which they were supreme in England and the Empire. They had made this article well and treated the public fairly, and it was of the utmost importance to them, but they found themselves in a difficult position that day. They had bought the rights of manu- facture and the patents some years previously from a German company, who were still partners with them in the business. They had insisted on the rights of manufacture as well as those of sale, knowing that the latter arrangement would only last as long as it suited the German company, but that day they realized they had made a horrible mistake. The article was a complicated affair, and one part of it was made of a semi-raw material, to produce which entailed heavy initial expense, and the German company supplied it to them cheaper than they could make it. Every time they started to consider seriously its production, the German company came down in prim, and so they had drifted on and done nothing. Their stock of this material was very low; a few pounds would have lasted them for years ; they had only a few ounces ; what were they to do ? Germany was at war with Prance, and their German friends were too busy to think of their troubles. A confidential clerk opened the door and stated that there was a man outside demanding to see the chairman, and in great astonishment, owing to the day being Sunday and their meeting secret, that worthy but worried gentleman went out to see him. There he found a smart-looking young German with a small portmanteau. He appeared tired, but came to the point at once. ' Sir,' he said, I some from the head office of the — Company, straight from Berlin. My directors are in anxiety as to their holdings in your company. They have remembered that your stock of Crosis is low, and realizing that war is an uncertain thing, they have sent you ten pounds of it, which I carry in this bag. Also, I bring copies of all letters written during the last week ; they fear some may have gone astray. My directors send their compliments to the British board and hope that when we have dealt with our enemies we may renew that pleasant relationship which may be interrupted for a few months by this unfortunate war which has been forced upon us.' ' How did you get through ? ' asked the astonished chairman. Partly by train, partly by boat, partly on foot,' said the young man. I carried my bag some of the way, and also pushed it on a wheelbarrow across the frontier of Belgium.' The chairman was delighted, complimented the young fellow on his courage, and on the spot offered him safe and lucrative employment till the war was over; but to his surprise his offer was curtly refused. ' I must return at once to join my regiment. I am only hero by special per- mission,' said the clerk, and picking up his hat, he shook hands and vanished through the door. The chairman returned to the board meeting and explained the situation. They were saved ! And now they must sot to work to produce Crosis and never run stroll risks again.
"Analyse that story," said Rife. " First, the sale of all rights at a good price ; secondly, the subtle difficulties put in the way of the manufacture of Crosis, no leaving the English company always at their. mercy; thirdly, the uncanny forethought of this German company with branches all over the world, forgetting nothing in the greatest crisis, from the supply of Crosis to the copies of letters which might have gone astray. Then the splendid qualities of that messenger. In this case they overreached themselves—it is clear they did not then believe England would come in ; but that is not the point. The dory is typical of what we are up against--a kind of diabolical combination of efficiency, groat virtues, and cold-blooded, calculated business frightfulness. Now," said Rife, " this generation of Germans is going to die in this war, and I am helping the good work. If the death of some of ILI makes England wake up and put her house in order, we have not died in vain." Nam).
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