The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-08-07
authorize. And they are good soldiers

authorize And they are good soldiers
excellent"
This led to further exposition of the
merits of the native soldiery, Major
Duncan doing the talking.
lit is easy to guess the first question
an American. making inquiry concern
ing the native soldiery, Will ask. 1t is
whether reliance can be placed i'm the
loyalty OF our little brown men. No
officer who has served with the scouts
has the slightest doubt on that score.
We have seen them tried and put to
the severest tests against their own
people. and they have never been found
wanting. They are intensely proud of
being soldiers under the American flag
and part of the regular army OF course
they are 'mercenaries'-using the term
in The broad sense-as all our soldiers
are since they serve for pay, but every
officer who has, or vino has had, a
scout command would be just as will
ing and ready to go into battle with
that command at his back as with
any command in the service.
it Is a fact. This feeling of confidence
is based Oh absolute faith in the 10y
atty of the Filipino soldiers and it may
also be taken as high tribute to their
ability as fighters. We do not mean
that they are as good soldiers, taking
diers or as some other white soldiers,
but properly differed they are the
equals of the Famous little Gurkas of
India or of any other brown men-cer
tropical climes. And you know the
tropics produce what Kipling calls 'fust
class ffghtin' men,
''1he secret of getting good work out
of them is no secret after Oil, for 1t
| applies to all armies. 1t lies in good
brave, sober, takes good care of HIM
self. obeys orders implicitly. If it is
argued that he lacks the initiative,
which we regard n of the elements
of strength in the American soldier, the
same argument old with equal force
in the case of a good many of the
white armies of the world. We believe
the superiority Of the American soldier
in any crisis lies in that quality we call
initiative; If the Filipino lacks it he
of many other parts of the world.
I'VE have developed a large number
Of thoroughly reliable II thoroughly
efficient non-commissioned native off,
GERS who have the respect of, and ex-
ercise the proper control over, the men.
These non-commissioned officers are
highly valuable. But to get the proper
results 1t Will be necessary to have
white officers In command. In time we
shall have some good native officers. /
sending picke ii youns Filipilos to Yves
Point, as the SECRETARY of war has rec
commended. Bus experience has taught
that the "a to get the highest eff
cheney u If brown or black soldiers
the world over is by having white obi
GERS in command. japan may. of
course, be citei to the contrary, but
Japan is the exception to the rule. Lold
Roberts Gays that in his 80 years exper-
fence In India he has never vet seen the
time when lie Oldest native officer
would not instinctively turn TO the les II
est white man-even if the youngest
subaltern-jn any Crisis.
I'VE have a lot OF splendid young
officers in the scouts. AS you know,
the eight majors and 10 CAPTAINS are
detailed from the line of the Amy
captains of the line being made majors
OF scouts. first ~lieutenants Of the line
being detailed as captain Of scouts. The
l~ieutenants in the col companies are
men who have made records for them
selves as soldiers. some as officers OF
volunteers. others as non-commissioned
officers In h regular establishment.
These are picked men. selected because