The Washington herald., 1913-08-24
Esprit de Corps in United
States Army Prob bly,
Would Be Greater if Gus
tom that Prevails Abroad
Was In Vogue.

Any one visiting one of our army posts
may note the difference between regular
army men who never actually have
served and men who have seen service.
There is something mechanical about the
way they handle themselves and perform
their duties. They have sufficient pre-
cision in maneuvers, but lack the snap of
tried men. But with all this talk of war
with Mexico, war with Japan, and war
with an alliance of nations protesting
against the failure OF the Wilson admin
istration to take some decisive step with
regard to a recognition OF some govern
raent in the republic south of the border.
the people have had their attention at
tracted TO the army. 1t is said that the
people have found an army in no ways
suitable to cope with the legions of the
other powers.
Undoubtedly a volunteer army could be
raised in the United States at the first
call which could repel any invasion. II
is interesting, however, TO examine the
army and discover just what the trouble
Is II that may be. The statement has
been made that the men appear mechan-
ical; to be men who follow a trade
rather than a calling. Now, It is a fact
that the manual OF arms, the code of
discipline, the standard OF tactics, and,
in fact, the entire method of handling
the United States troops has become
mechanical, machine-like. Drills, ma
neuvers, camps, and other sham war
like activities carried on for practice
give the impression that the men regard
their duties much as q plumber regards
his trade-simply as a means Of winning
a livelihood.
Where this spirit prevails there can be
no efficient soldiery. There is none of
that corps d'esprit which makes an army
invincible. More life is needed. And,
strangely enough, the things that make
the army life more endurable for the en-
listed man have been removed. Take, for
instance, the army canteen. In response
to a widespread demand on the part of
people who never served in the army, the
canteen was removed. In many cities 1t
is difficult for a uniformed soldier to get
into a public house OF any character, sa-
loon, theater, museum, or any similar
place.
But a thing which is missed perhaps
more than any other in the army life is
the marching song. Should United States
soldiers on march strike up a marching
song they would be disciplined by their
even
few bands. OF course, nearly every army
post of any size has band. but they are
used chiefly for parade and review pur-
poses and not to buoy up the men on the
march. OF course, it is well known that
a man, be he soldier or civilian, can walk
much further in a day and with much
less fatigue IL he has music. But AmeTl-
can troops have music only when on re-
view. where they would not find the duty
arduous, anyway. In England, especially
each great army corps has its marching
songs And British brigade's marching
song is as peculiar to il as its uniform
Song of British Cavalry.
The British cavalry, for instance, has
for its chief marching song the ancient
Scots ballad, Bonnie Dundee" On march
or on parade their bands play:
Come MI up my cup; come III up my can;
Come saddle my horses and call mp my men.
Come open the Westport and let Us gae nee.
And Its room foT the BonEets of Bonnie Dundee. '
It can easily be understood that when
the men hear their own marching song,