The St. Louis Republic., 1903-10-25
FUTURE OF BRITISH PRIVATE.
Sense Of Duty to Animate Tommy
Atkins Hereafter.

! london. oct. IA correspondent sends
! the following 10 The Times:
I General Sir Ian Hamiiton's evidence or
| the private soldier Of the future cannot
| but suggest reflections as 20 the means OF
/ obtaining 50 highly trained and efficient
/ a warrior as the General describes.
/ II the private soldier IS 10 be animated
I b sense Of discipline on a higher plane
/ 10 be capable Of acting. within limits. on
h.s own initiative. and 10 be qualified 20
/ take advantage Of all that sc.ence can
I do FOR him. II will surely be- necessary 20
/ have recourse to better methods Of select
/ ing and educating him than at present
/ exist
ADOve all. il would seem desirable %
catch the men younger. and 20 supplement
| the elementary education they Wal nave
received by "a training which will al once
give them high sense Uf tap duties tuey
are 10 d.~CnaJEy, equip them IOT the. r
career a. StllIeis. anu teach them a trade
which viii enable them as skilled work
men 10 command a market when they
leave the army.
At present. as every one knows, recruits
are mainly drawn from youths ut IL or
At that age a Iad has left school some
three or four years. and. if worth any
t-iinS. has been engaged IN learning how
Co gain "A living. IL a steady. intelligent
parents and friends are UNIV. .lling that he
should abandon his career: and thus the
Recruiting Sergeant finds the material for
our army among those who, 20 say the
least, dO not show the best promise Of
"a successful career.
When fighting was matter OF bulldog
courage and tenacity. carried ON In close
ranks. under the excitement always en-
EeudeTed by a crowd, and under the i'm
mediate supervision Of those In command.
this raw material may have been as good
q. HHa|NH H#U zen u
Hamilton. all these conditions will he
changed in the wars uf the future The
private soldier Of the future will have TO
light alCucs he viii 10 large extent have
10 guide his own movements. and he must
be animated by a FAR higher sense both or
individual responsibility and Of confidence
In his comrades than has hitherto been
necessary.
The pick. and not the Ieavings. OF the
lIbOring population should be- at command
20 fashion such n soldier. and the pick Of
had while the soldier Is discharged when
still at an early age without any special
equipment Tor any civil work
Long before the recent war brought its
lessons, the value OF army schools. whore
military and technical instruction should
b. combined. was suggested TO me hy an
old soldier Of my Acquaintance. a General
OF high distinction and luUE experience.
and 1 understood that he h7t. on more
than one occasion. advocated the csla1-
lishmeut or such schools.
The main objection is OF course. that 90
expense But one cannot have an eNpen-
Sive article without paying for It's cost,
and nation which IS saved the exhaust
iuE drain Of universal service may AFFORD
10 pay well FOR the special military article
which T. suited for her needs.
The advantage uf army schools Of the
kind indicated can hardly be CverStuted.
EIuCItiou in state school would give a
prestige tu the profession. and hence sery-
ice in the army would b. popular " IN
parents and friends. and not unpopular.
gE at present. Sucn an education would
not only secure higher intelligence iu the
ranks. bus would D. admirably cIlou-
lated TO ougeuder that esprit de corps on
a wider bass " hiCh D. said 20 De- required
And the retired soldier would command
good wages as n skilled workman.
Even n n proportion only OF the rank
and file were thus recruited. the influence
on the character and popularity 0f the
whole service would be iuralcu'ahle To
the lay mind the suggestion seems worth
at least serious consideration.