Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-09

training, does not become. apparent
until all enthusiasm disappears. until
panic is about to take hold" CBalck,
page 1917 Now drill as We mean it
must not be confused with the snappy
| drill Of troops-we mean discipline,
rather than drill. as we understand
the latter. To Obtain this takes long
er than a year. We must work from
the inside as we'll as from the outside
Thus you see what we are aiming at
when we say that in the training Of
the American, interest must be arous-
ed in the individual TO show why he
must render the unquestioning ODE
dience which is The first essential to
being real soldier
While by no means believing that
things are best as they are. because
they are 1.-THE 'standpatter" attitude)
the consensus of opinion of foreign
military nations should undoubtedly
be given weight in determining how
much time is necessary to train a
soldier. Taking Germany, France and
England. We find that the shortest
time which has ever been required
under normal conditions for infantry
to serve with the COlors has been two
years. three years has been more usu7
al and, at times, the English have had
an enlistment Of seven, twelve and
twenty-one years.
Maj McAndrew of our infantry, in
an excellent article in our Infantry
Journal. Nov dec, 1918, shows most
conclusively, what we all know so
we'll that infantry training is of
more importance than any other one
thing in the making of an army. and
also points out most forcibly that the
very nature of infantry requires it to
take not only the hardest punish
ment in battle, but to stand up under
the greatest hard6hips all the way
through a campaign. 1t is believed
that officers of experience and those
OF us who think IF it seriously, will
agree with Maj. McAndrew, whose
conclusion is that Such training can.
not be acquired in a few days, a few
weeks or even a few months, but that
the best results come only from the
work Of years."
1t is appreciated, however, that un.
der the present military policy of our
government, we shall be fortunate If
allowed even six months for emergen-
cy preparation of raw levies before
putting them in the field in time of
war.
If by the making of an infantry
soldier in one year." the idea is the
creation of material for a reserve, the
board is of the opinion that, under
ideal conditions, it can be accomplish
ed
Let us first decide what degree of
proficiency is absolutely necessary in
our reserve in order that 1t may be a
dependable fighting force, then We can
decide as to the character and amount
of training necessary to produce the
article we want to turn out, bearing
in mind that it will be to the interest
of the country to produce the article in
large quantities, Ill the shortest time
practicable, and at the minimum cost.
Success in battle Is the ultimate
object of all military training" There.
fore. what we want and need in a re.
serve Is fighting efficiency; and all
our efforts should be so concentrated
and directed as to- enable us to train
and send back into civil life, in the
shortest possible time, and at the
least cost to the nation, large mum.
bers of reservists mt for field ser.
vice. This would eliminate everything
in the way of instruction and training
that is not absolutely essentioal to the
creation of fighting efficiency. Com.
bat instruction ana training will pro-
duce fighting efficiency. But to pro.
duce 1t in the shortest possible time
and at the least cost our raw material
must be of good quality. In other
words, our recruits must be of sound
mind and body. We have neither the
time nor the money to waste on any
other kind ..-
1t is believed that, with efficient in.
structors, improved and standard
methods of instruction, and with re-
cruits of sound mind and body, train.
! ing period of one rear will be ample
time to produce private soldiers train,
ed in all the essential phases of com.
bat work. @. o.. r..
And 1t is also believed that, with
such short training period. no diff
Guilty would be experienced in obtain.
ing the kind of material that we want
and in the necessary quantities. ~
In time of peace man is Of more
value to the community when engag,
ed In civil pursuits. so If we can train
men in all essential phases of combat
work in one year-in other words, II
we can produce fighting efficiency in
that time-it is economically and so
cially wrong to keep them longer away
from their civil pursuits. I'D. I'd.
The youth of the country can afford
to devote a short period Of their lives
to the work Of qualifying themselves
for efficient service in the defense of
their country. and It is believed that
thousands would be glad of an oppor.
tunity to so qualify with such little
interference with their chosen civil
vacations. 1t is the duty of the gov.
eminent to offer them this opportu-
nifty on conditions that they can &C.
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