The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1901-02-23
NEW FORM OF COURAGE.
"I'he Jos OF Hattie" Superseded In
Modern Warfare hy Do.ged
Endurance.


count of his service in South Africa
sent TO nlackWood by Ernest Dawson
thought occurred 10 the writer which
is not altogether pleasant, says the
London Spectator. Not only are the
conditions of warfare changed from
those which prevailed of old, but so also
the qualities which 60 10 nuke the
valuable soldier. For more than 2,ooe
yearsthe man who would make the best
soldier. the most formidable knight,
the fighter who best inspired his com.
rades. was the one who felt most keen.
ly The "fieree joy Of battle" whose
blood stirred when the actual fight be.
gan and who as II progressed was car.
ried more and more out OF himself
Now different courage seems to be
required. All heat of the blood is gone
There is no prospect OF hand-to-hand
contest The bullets come from inyisi.
BILE foes. and II the return bullet Is ef.
fective the soldier does not see the man
he kills. Engagements last longer, there
is more waiting. and YOU can hardly fee
the desire of vengeance against the hill
or the ravine. or the machine which Is
pumping bullets at You. The battle
says MIR. Dawson. ''leaves you cold
and the joy of battle which comes from
feeling your enemy so close. which was
In fact, like the JOY OF an old-fashioned
football scrimmage. Is nonexisicnt
The average man needs in such n strug.
gle rather an immovable calm, tire.
less patience. an imperative sense ol
duty. than the kind OF courage which
formerly hurled the soldier forward
and made II 50 difficult as we rend IN
all military histories, for The officers
commanding reserves 10 restrain thcil
men.
That is curious change when re.
garded from the historians point al
view, and sets one specnlating 70 whos,
advantage in battle II will ultimate
~ accrue. As among Europeans, Il
should give victory either 10 the Teu
ton or the Slav. The former has pa
thence and the capacity To endure
while the latter has submissivcnoss Il
authority ns well as endurance Ten
tons and Russians will lie hours uudei
| Are. never stirring tin the moment ar
riyes, while the latter viii die whole
sale. ms Is told OF the battles of Iorn
dorm, rather than retreat before a su
perior has given fhe command. Thl
southerner even when he is n French
man, cannot bear the waiting, but mus
charge or fy. lie is as brave as hi
1 l.. t.... 4 -
Joy of battle. the fierce excitement Q
moving on his enemy. before his com
age becomes formidable and cifectiy,
DR.. Morrison noticed this of the lta
ians during the siege Of the legation
in Peking. They were as good as othe
troops while there was active work o
hand, but they could not be equal
trusted 10 guard positions They frs
became impatient, then panicky, the
uncomfortable.
That is satisfactory, In n way, fo
Germans, Americans and Englishmel
but there are other people besid,
them in the world. and we are not sur
II we extend our survey, that 1t is a
together so inspiriting. Does not NJ
Dawson's account suggest that the les
timid among The Asiaties may some da
make very good fighters indeed? on
GERS who know them say that III
Afridis have "devlisb patience" whe
they are sniping, and we imagine Oh
namen waiting calmly for hours unde
the blazing sun or swisbing rain fo
their chance OF effective "work." The
do not feel the JOY OF battle in the ol
sense, and they will not stand up I
the bayonet; but the Joy Is not excite
by modern conditions, and the chnno
OF using the bayonet comes but Sc
dom. Grant the Cinnamon ability I
shoot--and there are plenty Of sharf
shooters among them-plenty of cai
tridges, and his present numbers, an
the task OF forcing o defile in Shen-s
would be about as formidable a one a
a soldier can imagine. In the Asiatii
as In the Russian, obedience under cei
tain conditions will replace the sens
OF duty, and bis fear of death has yer
curious and well-defined limits. II
will run from the bayoDet. but nC
from death. and the bullet flung frol
an invisible enemy mile Oft is Onl
death. The European, the youth Of II
world, whose blood takes fire while h
muscles grow tense in danger. seems
us, II Mr.. Dawson's account IL true,
lose something OF his hereditary a.
vantage in modern conditions. II
the batting which gains, not the bow
I l. =. = 4 n. A..
between Europe and Asia. which mt
be the preoceupation Of the next tv
centuries. II is essential that the bowl
should win.
4 faaa II