The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-17
URGES DEMOCRATIC
ARMY FOR BRITAIN
John Ward Makes Plea in COM
mons for n-Commis-
stoned Officer.
ASSAILS SOCIETY ELEMENT
Men Promoted From Ranks Are
Backbone Of Military
Forces, He Says.
AsSAILS SOCIETY ELEMENT
Special Correspondence 10 The sux.

chNCDs Aht Guy Dc
Special Correspondence 10 The Sus.
LONDON, May s.-Recent speeches by
public men. both In and out OF Parlia-
ment. have directed attention to the army
In a way not hitherto considered possible.
When the question came to the front re-
Gently in the course of an animated de-
bate in the House Of Commons. the
'Navvy's' member. John Ward, made
himself conspicuous by his attack on IAN
exclusive aristocratically differed army"
Mr.. Ward offered the following sugges-
tons for the reform of the army:
THE education, personnel and organi-
principles are concerned. were settled"
says Mr.. Ward. by the report Of the
Royal Commission Of 1868. and have not
been radically changed since.
The main idea Ii that the officer must
be a gentleman In the strict and mar
row sense In which society uses that
term In other words. that II II presump-
ton on the part OF any man. however
capable, who does not belong to the So
lect or wealthy few to aspire to bear the
Kings commission as an officer. The COM
mission OF 1858 laid II down as cardinal
principe that ability as soldier Is
OF secondary Importance compared TO
maintaining an ascendency over those the
officers would be called upon TO com
mand.'
That the oflcering OF the army is the
perquiste OF the wealthy few Is shown
by the fact that 81 per cent. OF the officers
now holding commissions in the cavalry
and infantry have come into the army
either through tho universities or the
Royal Military College. Sandhurst--a
system supplemented by a species of
patronage which Is in the keeping OF the
Secretary OF State for War and the First
Lord of the Admiralty and Is specially
reserved for the sons of Officers holding
high commissioned positions in tho sister
services.
No Reason for system Vow.
"No moro perfect system for steriliz-
Ing real merit could have ever been de-
vised. and its success in this direction
shows how we'll the few knew how to
entrench themselves against the many.
This system was devised at a time before
the education acts. when our army was
largely recruited from an illiterate class
and II was difficult to find enough men
with fair amount OF education to Nil
the non-commissioned ranks. There may
have been some reaEon for It then; there
The question will be asked. What do
you mean by democratizins the army I
mean that we should aim at securing an
army differed by men OF proved ability
from that part OF our young men who
voluntarily choose the army as a calling
or profession, without distinction OF class
or family position. That such an altera-
tion Is necessary Is proved by tho faot
that the 'class' test has completely broken
down. II no longer supplies the number
OF officers required, and II does not en-
81, IL e., ,,atx- - ~ h.- II
at our disposal In the non-comTnissioned
ranks.
For some years there has been an ac-
tuL shortage of officers on mobilization
OF between 1000 and 1000. Strenuous
effort has been made within the limits OF
the castles fixed by army orders and his
tory 70 recruit candidates for these posts
The public school radius has been slightly
extended and college principals have bee,,
turned into recruiting sergeants with lit
tie or no result. The army Is still under
stared. still starved for want Of a steady
ana permanent flow OF young. capable
and serious soldiers from the bottom 20
the top OF its organization.
Non-Comm ission Men Are BEST.
II would begin the democratizing OF
the British army at once by reservlng half
the commissioned posts to those who
have run through the commissioned
grades. That our non-commissioned
officers are the backbone Of the army and
the element from which the major part OF
Its fighting value Is derived no expert will
leny.
The only point about which there has
ever been any doubt Is whether the nom
commissioned class. having had no pros
poets OF promotion. have been purposely
deprived OF knowledge which would 1T
them for the higher duties. That Is not
the experience OF military men. The evil
dence OF the past Is overwhelmingly in
favor of the contention that there are
few regimental duties which are beyond
the range OF the upper grades Of the non
commissioned class.
THE principle of promotion from the
ranks. II adopted, will at once tend COM
pletely to alter the character OF the re-
cruit for the army. Ambitious young men
would then Join because OF the possbill-
ties OF future career that would then
be offered. and with promotion from the
ranks the army as a whole would improve
in physique and character. 1t Is the only
way to secure a really national democratic
army.
1T may be asked. What Is the evil
dence that the non-commissioned ranks
contain the material necessary for the
creation OF national democratized
army As said, on mobilization the army
10 short OF officers to the extent of sew
eral thousands. Now the military au-
thorities have been obliged to consider
how that difficulty can be overcome in
case OF sudden emergency. For not only
will there then be the existing shortage
Of officers. but the casualties among this
devoted body Of men would be immediate
and crushing to the army as a whole. un.
less steps had already been taken to pro-
vide for such contingency.
There need be no secrecy about the
business. The first definite sign OF Euro
pean conflict will see nearly half OF the
present non-commissoned officers pro-
NOTED to commissioned rank. Here we
have the frank admission that for actual
war these are the men upon whom the
nation will and must reply. II II were
not so serious It would be comic that
these men should be thought good enough
to officer and lead the army in battle.
but not good enough to officer It In bar
racks