New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-29
Psychology Turns Tlmld
Into Fighters, War PropeS
German and French Effectiveness Climax OF ess on Minds
and Subtle Developments Of Courage, DR.. Hall
Tells Science Convention

Ihc effectiveness OF the German and
French armies In the present war az
compared with the British and Russian
II, due TO the use Of applied psychology.
Such IT, the conclusion reached BY DR..
G.. Stanley Hall, president OF CLARK
University, in a paper he contributed
Yesterday at the convention OF the
American Association for the Advance
ment Of Science.
Dr.. Hall delvcd deeply into the psy-
chology Of war, and found an explona-
ton OF it, in what he termed the re
versiouary conceptions OF Freud, Phster
and Patrick. that it is more or less nor
NAL for man at times 10 plunge DacR
and down the evolutionary ladder ana
to immerse himself in rank, primitive
emotions and to break away from tnc
complex conventions and routine Of
civilized life and revert 10 that oil the
troglodytes in the trenches, and to face
the chance Of instant death when the
struggle for survival is at its maximum
in the bayonet charge "a
"The war has given the wofld Us
greatest lesson in scientific eihciency'
said DR.. Hall. "Just as Russia IN the
war with Japan did not begin to
realize how far the latter country had
moulded all its pre-MeJi ana lhdeed
liberal culture generally, ana focusseo
almost it's entire energy upon prac-
teal efficiency. so none OF the HIIiea'
least of all England, realized now i@t
Germany had gone in casting on 'nt
culture Of half century ago ana III
almost single generation acquiring 4"
new soul that made 10, instead OF tne
least. the most hard-headed, prac'lcaIIy
effective nation the world mas eve
seen, with hardly vestige OF inc oiu
speculative. sentimental traits OF lhe
days before 1870.
Tests Proved Big Value
AS prre chemistry failed to appre-
ciate the value OF the formula 1or
making nitrate, which Germany had Sc
cretly bought from its Morse discov-
erer. and which enabled il TO produce
800 600 tons Of ammunition during the
first year Of the war az one-third it'
cost 10 the Allies, so its tests OF the
senses. fatigue of all taking up arms;
its establishment OF distinct digestive,
respiratory, muscular and nervous
t,pes OF men; its tcmebility tests,
which eliminate upset nervous systems
from the ranks, both on donning the
uniform and after every wound, there
by greatly reducing liabilities to panic;
the French tests and assignment OF
men TO infantry, cavalry, artillery,
aviation corps, etc, according 20 the
standard types Of McAulife, Segoud,
Thooris and Sorcl-all have shown how
Immediately serviceable psychology
could be made in this, 70 IL, rather
new field.
ALREADY enough OF the carefully
guarded military secrets Of these tests
for specific lines of military service
have leaked out TO suggest why the
German and French armies are so
much more effectively organized than
the English and Russian, and TO show
that applied psychology can render the
most valuable service to war;
Psychology of War
Or. Hall took up, then, the psychol-
ogy Of the fighter, prefacng 1t with
the brief psychological explanation of
war already quoted. Eve shall surely
have a new and larger psychology OF
war" he said
First is the general perturbation a.
home when mobilization is decreed. the
determination of all classes. normally
more or less aloof; the rank creduli-
ties and approximations that suddenly
arise and spread by psychic contagion,
often 20 the clearest heads and coolest
hearts, on the basis of high expectant
tension; the mad rumors. fears, sug-
gestions, often so painfully acute that
the call 10 arms Is a relief.
Second comes the parting from
home and loved ones; the donEing OF
the uniform and with IL the esprit de
corps Of the army; the intense activity
Of the training camp; the remarkable
development of powers OF effort and
Of endurance. which makes a weak
man so often a marvel TO himself, a
power in which those from sedentarJ
life often excel laborers and peasants;
the games, songs, theatricals, often
camp newspapers, in which phenomena
we see instinct seeking 20 compensate,
In Adler's sense, for a deeper but re-
pressed anxiety.
Change Caused by War
Life at this stage is 20 absorbing
that the old life at home pales, and
loved ones are thought Of with sur
prising infrequency, and it becomes
harder TO write TO them; the sudden
setting up. physical and moral. of fab
by individuals, to endure sleeplessness,
heat. cold and hunger, rs the ind
vidual learns to draw on his phyletic
reserve. so that he is often surprised
10 find the largest drafts upon it hon
ored.
Third, in the advance into the