Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-27
BRITISH OFFICER TELLS WHAT
ENGLANDEXPECTS Of HER men

lapse from duty, however trivial, with:
out taking notice of it. Drop hard on
to slackness, disoSedience, slovenli-
ness. Never stand any rot or non.
sense. Insist on great cleanliness, on
great alertness, quiekness and cheer.
fulness. 2@ r. -
don't want you to go away, how
ever, with the idea that the men must
be treated like Gogs-Yery far from it.
You don't want to curse or damn
every time You notice things wrong.
Sometimes word of encouragement,
or patient listening to an explana-
ton, or smile when pointing out the
fault will go long way. Remember
that, though we are officers and the
men are privates, still we are all com.
rades IN the great dangers and the
great struggle: make the men feel
that you realize this comradesship
and love it. "-: ...-
But you cannot be too particular in
insisting on smart, alert, cheerful
appearance, and on the prompt and
willing accordance of all honors and
saluteS. 1t is only that company or
that battalion which shows attention
to all this which really does possess
discipline. Without discipline, no
body of men will stand an hour of
real danger. -. These matters of ap-
pearance and respect to officers are
not eye-wash. They are the outward
and visible sign of the inward and
spiritual grace, as the Earson says.
The Officers Lookins-GIass.
The company or the battalion is the
best looking glass. of its officers In
~the company and the battalion you
see the image of the officers-you see
yourselves. When you note a COM
pany on the manifestations
miserable, dirty, slow, and almost sui
ky in coming to attention, with half
dozen stragglers creeping on behind,
no notice-you can tell at once that
these are bad officers, and that no
discipline and no energy exist there.
On the contrary, when you see COM
pany marching well closed-up-men
with heads erect (even though cover
ed with mud of trenches), and quick
and energetic in the movements as
they come to the salute-these show
good officers and a well-disciplined
company When you take your
men into action, either in ordinary
trench warfare or in big attack,
all this discipline will repay you and
your men themselves d thousand-fold.
Keep up your own energy and that
of your men, and maintain the of
fensive spirit most carefully -. To
do this, don't overlook the fact that
one of your chief duties is to be al
ways thinking. You have got brains;
don't forget to use them. That is what
you are an officer for. . =. You must
always be thinking. How can you
make the. trench Tor your position
wherever it isl more secure, or more
comfortable for the men? Or how
can you attack the enemy? Or infict
some blow or less on him? AS soon
as the thought has entered your head,
put it into execution; issue the ne
cessary orders, and see them energet-
ically carried out. Thus you will keep
up the spirit of energy and of the Of
fensive which are Of such immense i'm
portance. All energy is born of
thought; therefore remember that to
think is one of your great duties.
Try and carry out these principles,
and put the knowledge you have &C
quired here into execution when, you
return to your battalion. Do not over
look the fact that-though you must