The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-06-02
Discipline.

an inheritance of individual freedom
are not subjected to as much discipline
as regulates the early life OF young
men in other lands. In some respects
the freedom they enjoy IS useful, for
it helps to make them self-rellant, and
vet they sometimes suffer for the want
OF a little wholesome discipline. The
fact appears to be that discipline OF
some sort is needed by all men. Some
provide it for themselves to Others it
must be applied by external forces.
The American youth, as general rule,
learns at an early age to control him
self, and hence is less in need of dis
clpline than the youth who is by ira
dition and custom necessarily Deepen
dent. This is true of the American
youth In general and in time OF peace,
but the advent OF war introduces new
conditions under which discipline be-
comes essential, no matter how intelli-
gent and self-controlled the individu-
ais to whom it is applied may be.
Some OF the yonng men of America
are learning this lesson now, and they
find it hard one to con. They haye
enlisted in the service of the United
States, but they are not OF seryile dis
position, and they have not yet been
trained to obey orders without ques-
ton, They are disposed, therefore, to
make conditions upon which they will
serve that they shall have the officers
to whom they are accustomed that
they shall be kept together in existing
organizations, and that they shall be
moved as a body, not in separate COM
mands. The first lesson they receiye
IN the kind OF discipline that rules an
army is that they cannot make con-
dltlonal enlist. They must enter the
army unreservedly or not at all, and,
having entered, they must obey orders
without hesitation or question. The Sec
ond lesson they have not learned, but it
will come to,them in time; and then they
will become useful members of that
vast machine, an army. The expert
ence they will gain Will be of great
value to those who come out of the
conflict unframed, morally and ply
sically.
The discipline of army life serves as
very useful training for those whose
lot is either to command or to obey.
In civil life there is not that rigid OBJ
servance OF rank and authority that
must be maintained in an army organ
ization, and yet the principles that
govern an army are similar to those
which should rule in, business. The
main principle is prompt obedience to
those in authority. The young man
who returns from the war we'll discip-
lined in this principle will be an ex-
cellent servant and good master.
Military education in time of peace
partakes OF the laxlty of civil life, and
though useful in its way, does not have
such marked effect upon the conduct
OF young men as the severer discipline
of the regular army or OF the volunteer
army in time of war. Occasionally,
of course, discipline Is abused by in
competent higher officers, but as
rule, it Is employed for the benefit of
all the members Of the army, and it's
necessity lcommends it to all intelligent
minds.
The well-disciplined force moves as
unit, and if wisely guided each men,
Der does his share of duty for the COM
mon good. This is the ideal condition
of effective work, and the principles OF
discipline may, in modified form, be
most usefully employed in civil life.
The first duty of the young man, how
ever, is to learn to obey. When he has
acquired that lesson he will be fitted to
command as we'll as obey.
Baby Law in France.