The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1914-12-25

u0CuT0'lys
Each of the above propositions could
be elaborated to a considerable extent
but to most people they will appear Oh.
vious. But every one of them is abso-
lutely true
/; This article however is written not so
much to prove these propositions but
rather to propose plan by which to do
the necessary teaching.
Our idea 10 to use the regular army rs
teschers.
One Ut the great objections to q stand.
ing army is that they are so far from the
common people. The reason IS that their
work 's separated SO far from the ordi.
nary work of common occupations. The
military officers seem too high up and
the common soldiers too low down in the
sociat scale for intimate association with
citizens generally.
Again, the latter fact does great deal
to prevent enlistments.
Tue uniform of United States soldier
debars him from associat,ng with Ger
tain people, and makes the wearer an
unwe come guest at many public places.
This ought not to be so, but it is SO.
Then army life is rather of dull
routine. The soldier has no need of
thought of tomorrow. He is taught to
let others think for him. His only to
obey orders. His work is to drill and to
keep himself, his arms and his quarters
clean. Expect to very few there is no
staircase to climb for the common
soldier. He has almost no incentive for
lnititaitory work. A commissioned of
ficer from the ranks is a very rare oc.
currerce.
Our idea is to give the men and non-
commissioned officers of the army some.
thing to do. that will appeal to them in
many ways. Something that could be
made to increase the number of the lat
ter.
We want the government to make them
teachers. Let "a small city, or a convent.
ent group of smaller villages have one
private, or non.comm,ssioned officer to
take charge of the drill of the boys at
school. How much drill and Just what
sort of drill is a matter of after detail.
But it ought to be two or three hours
each week in each school. and once q
year an outdoor encampment.
This work would bring the army men
into direct touch with the common
people. Their positions would with pro.
motion for good work be largely honor
ary. The work would give these soldier
teachers opportunities for social and
mental improvement. In the smaller
towns and villages their social position
would depend entirely on their own be-
havior. There is little of caste in the
small American village.
The higher officers of course would be
assigned to the larger cities and college
towns, but they could be assisted by the
lower grades.
1t would take quite large standing
SAhIy w Wv WHO WoAh WOulu pay
the government, in that it would make
many more men available for necessary
service when called from the citizenship,
and it would make better regular
soldiers.
If you give the private soldier some
personal responsibility you will certainly
make him far more of man. Machines
are needed for fighting material, but
nation needs men more. The teacher
teaches himself while he teaches the
others. Let US make some citizen soldiers
and some soldier citizens at one time.
Let US make our citizens into soldiers
and our soldiers into citizens; to their
mutual benefit and they include the
whole country.