The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-15
Great Care Taken to Make the Sol
diers' Feet Comfortable.
London Leader.

LONDON Leader.
When Lord Roberts's infantry made a
forced march of considerable length in the
pursuit of Cronje, IL was remarked as
something of a prodigy that they suffered
very little. in spite of the bad ground and
the intolerable heat. This was due to one
of those little attentions to detail In which
some historians have found the secret of
Julius Caesars astonishing military sue
cess.
In the present instance the point lay i'm
the care paid to the mems feet preparatory
TO the march. 1t may seem funny to the
armchair. critic. or to the mere man. in the
street, that any great general should
bother his head about matters of this sort.
But when you come to reflect, it will be
obvious that a column of infantry suffering
from bunions is sadly handicapped in the
field, and ii is for this reason that the
British infantry routine has been made
to include an inspection of feet" and the
inspecting officer. has to see that the ex-
tremities of his men are in every respect
as free from Flemish as their weapons.
Moreover, last year at Aldershot a system
attic instruction of the men in the prin-
ciples of health as regards the feet was
entered upon by the military authorities.
This touches the feet themselves, but
there are other regulations based upon the
unquestionable principle that the shoe
officers $50 say the regulations) will be
held responsible that officers commanding
batteries and companies personally super
intend the fitting of the ankle boots. AS
lncSe are SuCu III SlLCcf anu lHtIt IL OIIbn
a slight difference in sizes with the same
number, they require to be very carefully
fitted"
In order to insure a. good fit for the pre-
vention of blisters and other painful abomi-
nations, the ''ankle boots are ordered to
be worn for some time on trial. and in case
of a faulty lit to be then either exchanged
or relegated for treatment to the cobbler.
There is also a strict injunction regarding
the prompt repairing of worn shoes, and
there. is a provision that the STANDARD
pattern is to be adhered to by the cobbler
in making his repairs or alterations, to the
rigid exclusion of thigh heels and pointed
toes and all such vanities. 1t is easy to
carry red tape practices to a ridiculous ex-
tent. but his rule is wholesome.
But something more than good boots are
required on a long march. This something
more we have learned from Won Moltke.
An order issued to the German soldiery in
1S70-and one which gave rise to much
hilarity among the quidnuncs--directed the
men to rub their socks with soft soap be-
fore putting them on, in order that the
blistering incidental to long marches might
be prevented. People who had never walked
more than five miles at a stretch in all
idea of a soldier having feet so tender as
TO need such precautions, or being so SEN
sitive to pain as TO mind a little thing like
a blistered foot
1t has been remarked hat the conversion
of military authorities in other countries
TO Moltke's ideas was the chief historical
evidence of the German greatness as an
organiser of victory. The present COM
mander-in-chief of the British army is one
OF the most Jealous of Moltke's disciples
a fact which helps to account for that at
tention TO details which seems amusing,
but which is one of the great essentials TO
success. The Soldiers Handbook" con-
tains instructions about the care Of the
feet, including the recommendation to rub
the socks with shaved soap. and to powder
the inside of the shoe with particular prep
aration-
Your old infantryman very soon learns
how to take care of his feet. and sad ex-
perience teaches him what the pains and
penalties OF neglect are. Where you hear OF
our soldiers making long marches over
very inhospitable ground, endeavor TO re-
call your own experiences on some occasion
when. for amusement. and with conditions
all in your favor. you traversed several
miles less ground a day. Then. perhaps,
you will see the force and value OF regula-
tions which. on the first flush. will perhaps
strike you as subjects more appropriate 10
a housewife or a school matron than TO a
great general at the head OF many thous-
andS of men.