Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-10-09
ORGANIZATION.
LESSONS WHICH wAm TEACHES.

LESSONS WHICH Wan TEACHES.
II japanese have triumphed over the
Chinese In Corea 10 the extent stated 10
dispatches their victory IL due 10 superb
or organization; for while there 10 . DIFF
ference In bravery between the two, II IL
kind, not degree. The japanese are
dashing, hesd.iong In their courage.
They are at their heat In an advance; the
Chinese In doggedly holding = position.
Many observers who have lived In the
east have predicted that Chinese deter
mlnation would weary out japanese dar-
Ing (; and have said that the only positive
advantage with which the latter started
In the war Was that OF Organization.
Indeed, u We may depend upon the re-
ports that come from the east, the
japanese officers have worked out In
peace Hypothetical invaslon of Corca
90 cleverly that the actual has gone on
smoothly, With no marked deviation
from the paper projects they carried. IL
Il even said that the japanese carried
poutoon bridges fashioned In advance to
the exact breadth % many streams In
Corea, thus enabling them 10 make their
crossings the more expedItlously. An
American naval officer noted that when
the Japanese troops were landed In Corea
the boats were handled on prcarranged
plan, and that every division OF boats
supported the division ahead. In the
LEISURE Of peace japan has absorbed the
teachings of many wars In foreign lands.
japanese officers have received instIuc-
ton from imported hired teachers. Her
scheme Of Instruction Was lat first cosmo-
politsn, but of late she has favored
herman methods for the army and
American for the navy. The German
military master has been active In Japan,
and young japanese trained at Annapo-
liz have impaired to the fleet the alert
energy which IL characteristic Of our
service.
The school where Organization has
been taught was japan, but the lesson u
old rs the art Of war. IL IL ever the
same. Given two nations Of equal cour-
age, the victory remains With the better
organized. II is rather = curious and
interesting study to trace back the oper-
alton of its truth through history. Tie
Romans had the best military organlss-
ton of their time and u made them mas
tiers Of the world. Rome fell only when
her Organization had become so decrcpit
that u gave way before the compact 81
barbsrous masses that the legions of
Caesar would have scattered at charge.
In the long centuries that followed until
the clos. of the middle ages, there Was
no military Organization as We under
stand the term; IN. armies we're hosts
that moved very much like masses %
fighters seeking other masse. 90 fighters.
Combats were individual lights many
times multiplied.
In theory, aud largely Ia practice,
every man MAS q soldier, aud there we're
no professional soldiers, no standing
armies, no bodies of men on whom q
commanding mind could impose Lessons
of Organization and discipline thought
out In the study. Military Organization
ss Ne Understood u IL the system that
direct. the whole Ia an end, while lcay-
Ing play for individual abilities.
Prom the east came IN. first warnings
that s~oke Europe to the nece.sity 10
Organization. II was noted by q few
Europcsns whom oomm.rve or captivity
brought Into contact with the Turks
that the armies of this great and con-
quering peorle were moved nv fsnsti-
cal faith, hut were directed by q comprc
bsnslyc sy.tem ~ discipline and organi-
ration. They de- not move heltsr-skeltsr
or hl,her and Won. They did not lose
time In wandering after roads, nor were
they at lo.s u the WAY WAS barred, or
their guides at fault. The Turkish army
when Il went Ia sleep had been fed ;
there we're no hungry soldiers. Their
camp. were regulated by strict discipline.
The beginning 81 the comml.sarist .cry-
lev, the formation 81 pioneers, the e.tab-
ilshmcnt 81 "the train" are trsceable Ia
the day when Europe learned that
Turkey VA. . great military power,
With lessons to teach u must learn " II
would hold back her conquering march.
4 century after the fall of Constantino-
pie the lessons Europe learned had heen
applied by the spaniards more ln,elli.
gently than by any other people. The
spanish military organization had be-
come the best In Europe; the model for
the world. The spanish army of JuOyears
sgo was regarded nj that time ss people
. IfEtu wv ''tutsu tthN W ''-'f's y ~
school whose teaching military men
e,.rywhef, should imbibe. spanish
otllrer. were the beat trained 81 their
day: spanish soldi-rs the beet disciplin-
cd. Will. Ia other armies the soldier.
we're In bands, the spanish soldiers
s.r. In what We should call regiments
For time, n long time, nothing could
turn the disciplined energy, the clear
sighted, calm courage of spanish sol
dier,. lei by men Who were profession.
ally "arny officers" Then military
s.ccpdency In Organization passed Ia
France, aud was held by France until
the genius ~ Marlboro, one Of the great
at leader. In the world, proved too
much for Il. Frederick the Great IA.
the organizer ~ his life, hut only for Dbl.
life. Narol-on, With his great genius.
o,rr-,urned the out-grown Organization
81 Pru..is; and Germany has achieved
her military greatness by ss.imilatlng
alike tie lesson. 90 her victories and her
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