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

larger standing army. and An ade-
quate reserve, made by the secretary
Of war and Maj-gen. Wotherspoon.
when he retired a short while ago as
chief Of staff, the following PAPER is
OF exceptional interest. The fUrma-
ton of On efficient reserve depends
on the ability TO train soldiers IN
comparatively short term OF service
with the colors, and to keep steady
stream OF men passing into the re-
serve. II has been a mooted ques-
ton whether or not the finished pro-
duct could be turned out in one year.
and recently. as part of the post grad
uate garrison school course OF the IND
Infantry, a boar dof officers was d.
rected to investigate this matter and
prepare paper.
Below is the result of this boards
researches:
clear the ground h. determining whe-
Their or not It is the opinion Of mill
tary men. backed up by experience
with troops, that an infantry soldier
can be turned out FULLY trained in one
year. The contemplation of scheme
of training requiring more than a
year is excluded by the scope of this
paper. II, therefore, we should con-
clude that one year is not sufficient
to turn out the finished product, we
shall submit plan to eliminate the
less important parts of training and
concentrate on essentials In order to
obtain the best possible field soldier
in the time available. First, let US fix
our standard Our Infantry Drill Re-
gulations tells us that Modern COM
bat demands the highest order OF
training, discipline, leadership and
morale on the part of infantry" Also,
that THE duties of infantry are many
and difficult All infantry must be
fit TO cope with all conditions that may
arise. Modern war requires but one
kind Of infantry-good infantry" Cou-
pie this with the dictum of our Infan-
try Journal that Modern infantry de-
mands a greater amount of training
than any other arm" and We have our
task cut out for us. Various schemes
OF short enlistment training periods
are being advocated nowadays in the
service papers. These are based upon
the principle that the most important
thing of all Is to get a reserve-and
that as quickly as possible. While not
Understanding the Importance of
reserve il is believed that q year, I'm.
der our present conditions, will not
be sufficient time to teach an infan-
tryman enough of the essentials to
make him an efficient soldier
We should give sbundant considera.
ton to the fact that, while we can no
doubt teach the Americans sent to us
for such training the outward forms
Of the duties of the infantry soldier,
the drill, field work, ETC., II Is q ques-
ton as to whether or not we can in a
year so instill into our independent
American that prime requisite habit
of unquestioning obedience that makes
teamwork possible. In our volunteer
forces in times past, 8 year actually
In the field, In active operations, has
developed this spirit, due to the fact
that the soldier could see that his life
and sthat Of his comrades depended
upon such obedience and teamwork,
but IL Is question as to whether or
not we can instill that thought and
habit in years peace time training,
except in that portion Of the men sent
MS who are above the average in edu.
cation and intelligence In this con.
nection we must keep in mind that
our recruits of the present day will
come from people whose steadily
improving standards of living tend to
increase the instinct of self-preserva-
ton and to diminish the spirit of self
sacrifice. The spirit of the times
looks upon war as an avoidable evil.
and this initiates directly against
that courage which has a contempt
for death. The fast manner of living
at the present day undermines the
nervous system, the fanaticism and
the religious and national enthusiasm
of bygone age are lacking, and. final
~. the physical powers of the human
species are partly diminishing"
(Balck. Vol. 1. page 194.) One year
OF training may produce well in
structed man in the outward forms of
military training, Sut there will be at
the end of that tine. still lacking the
years of experience, the training of
thought, as well as of body, which pro-
duces real soldiers, 1. g., men whose
devotion to duty surpasses their fear
OF death. tBalck, Vol. I, page 105. J
All this is mentioned to show that we
do not believe a real soldier-the sol
der to be counted on for teamwork,
obedience and self-sacrifice-ca can be
produced in one year from the aver.
age material supplied as recruits, IN
less mayhap some great national wave
Of inflamed patriotism will produce
the spirit sought. H.. ...z... .- :
However, 1t Is not advisable to say
at the beginning Of task that II Is
one which cannot be performed, SO
we viii assume that our material for
the one years training win be better
In most respects than like material
In other countries and see what can
be done with it in that year. We de-
sire TO make an infantry soldier In one
year Training alone will never at
tain this object To arouse and de-
yelop the mans intellect may make
him good skirmisher, skilful
ha- -