The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-27
The british soldier.

1t is reported that during the present
war in South Africa British soldiers will
be allowed to drink at British bars. The
the Names of publicans who refuse to serve
refreshments to men in uniform.
This measure may not be eficacious-it
| savers little too much of being cut
and-dried plan to be very practical--but
the fact that such action is necessary at
all reveals a state of things which will
seem rather curious to the average Amer
lean citizen. 1t is an actual fact that the
British soldier, while recognized as the
main dependence of the power and glory
of the Empire, is treated, as q rule, with
scant civility by the people of England.
1t is said that he is taboo in the bar
room, in the restaurant, and at the the
atre. Many barkeepers will not sell him
one drink even if he is perfectly sober.
OF course, IL he were disorderly in his
conduct there would be valid excuse for
Directing to the presence of the individual
soldier, but il seems a little queer that
he should be Disseminated against in this
wholesale fashion.
At any rate, it is matter for rejoicing
that the War Office has taken Off
cial cognizance Of this state of things.
When the very existence Of the Empire
hangs on the success of the war in South
Africa it is certainly inconsistent to deny
the men who are fighting such a battle
the common rights possessed by the civ
ilian whose interests they are protecting
at the cost of life and limb.
It must be remembered. however, that
the traditions OF England with regard 10
the army are considerably different from
those of America. To the average En-
glishman the army is thing made up OF
two distinct and widely separated classes
OF society-the officer. who is a gentleman.
and the non commissioned officers and pri-
vate soldiers. who are not gentlemen. The
one is TO be accorded every social honor
the others are reIegated to the society OF
publicans and sinners-and sometimes not
even the publicans will have anything to
do with them This condition of things
comes from the history Of the army UP to
a comparatively recent time The treat !
ment of men in the service has until late
ly been so harsh that only the scum OF the |
earth. or the daredevil and restless spirits |
who crave adventure and hardship, would |
enlist as private soldiers, and 1t was made
almost impossible for this class of men to
marry. Even now, in this last respect, |
The tate OF things is not much improved;
but nct so very long ago the life into
which the private soldier was expected to
lake his wife was such that no decent wo-
man would be likely TO risk herself in his
company The middle class, from which
The American Army is largely recruited,
Is represented TO a much smaller extent In
The English Army: and there Is no such
close union between the old soldier and
The community from which he springs. In
a word, our Army is made up largely of
men who are not making profession OF
soldering, and in that of England it is
different. The one is sort of temporary
the ether is a permanent In
stitution. When the soldiers who served
IN the civil war went back to their homes
nothing was too good for them in most
,ases; and the men who served In the
Union or Confederate ranks is the type
Usually associated with the word soldier.
n England a soldier is a relocated, we'll
lrilled person, who has probably spent
most of his life in heather countries" do
ng more or less desperate work, and the
taid and conservative Britor does not un-
erstand him and is Shy OF him.