Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-05

headquarters of the command TO which
he belongs.
Thus the mobilization and equipment
OF trained body of men would be
matter of mere hours instead Of days.
weeks and months as ii has been in the
past.
and the establishment OF a reserve is
found in the fact that it prevents stag
nation in the service. In time or peace
the chief work of an officer Is to teach
his men the military art. Surprising you
were teaching plane geometry in a col
lege which wouldn't graduate It's stu
dents, SO that year after year you would
have daily before you in the classroom
the same set OF students, reciting over
and over again the lessons which they
had learned long ago, wouldn't that
prove irksome TO you? Wouldn't you be
likely to fall into a rut? And wouldn't
they?
Short enlistnents will make for in
tensive training. There should be crowd
ed into months the instruction which so
frequently is spread over years. That is
why we are trying to eliminate all but
military occupations from the soldiers
duties; that is why We are trying TO get
away from the grass cutting, and the
Iawn-tending and work of that sort in
our vast pdrkl1kt military poSts
I'VE are told by some that it takes a
long time to instiil the principles of mill
tary discipline in the soldiers mind
Now. there are two kinds Of discipline
One comes from establishing In nina
not overly brilliant the custom OF obeying
instantly and without reasoning certain
orders 1t is form discipline, or, more
properly condition of mind or habit
that is thus induced The impulse TO
obey remains only until ii is displaced by
a stronger impulse.
On the other hand there is the form of
discipline that trains athe mind to control
the body. This form OF discipline depends
upon intelligence strong enough 10 APP
preciate the needs OF obedience ana the
need of cooperation, and represents
type which we find in the better class or
enlisted men. This type OF man appre-
GATES the need of obedience and cooper
alton at once, and discipline with MIN Is
easy to implant and maintain
1.-The short enlistment and the reSerNe
system should result in a few years IN
the possession by the nation OF large
number of young citizens with mintaIy
training upon whom the nation couid rely
in time of war to fill the gaps IN the
ranks of regulars and militia. But there
remains the problem of the volunteers.
The graver portion OF that prooiein Is
that of officers. You will recall that l.
said that i'm time of war with first
class power and the presentation OF the
necessity of raising an army OF oUoV'
we would be short at least lo,oo omeers'
.sOne source of supply should be in our
colleges and schools where military IN
struction, ranging from the practical IN
some to purely theoretical in Others
is given under officers of the army. Those
colleges and schools today have about
5000 students A suggestion have in
xolr, l1x, faA
of the best of these as they are grad
uated and, .on the Recommendation Of the
army officer on duty in each particular
school. give them provisional or temporary
commissions for year as additional
second iieutenants in the army and put
them on duty with troops.
by reason of the absence Of officers
on detailed duty away from their COM
mands-duty which is necessary and val
uable-we are always short some 900 or
600 line officers for duty with the troops.
These temporary commissions would in
large measure supply the need that is
always with us; will give us a man as
reserve officer who has had anywhere
from two to four years of instruction at
the so-called military schools-instruc-
ton given under the direction OF an off-
Ger of the army--and, in addition, one
years instruction with an organization
of the regular army.
1T is not necessary to point out the
advantages Wnlch wouid accrue from thIs
system. We should get reserve officers
far better trained than those of most
armies, and at the minimum Of expense.
Moreover, we would probably be able TO
secure from.these young men who showed
aptitude and a desire to enter the service
a large proportion Of our candidates for
commissions from civil life. They would
come in permanently, of course, only after
the examination required of all candidates
from civil life.
Including the temporary second lieu
tenants pay of $1,70O. it would cost the
government about $500 for each of these
young men for a years service, but the
government would be getting officers
service out of them while they were get
ting instruction and experience OF ines