Evening star., 1917-12-26
AMERICANS LEARN
HOW TOCOMMAND
Officers Taught That the Sa-
lutte Is the Basis of
Discipline.
STUDY WITH THE ENGLISH
By HERBERT CoRTY.

bf hEABrshI SoHIh.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE
FIELD, November io-In many things
we are starting right IN the American
Army. but in one thing we are start
ing especially right. That is in the
matter of discipline. II we keep on
as we have started the time will come
when we will be the most thoroughly
disciplined army on the western front.
1t is almost a ridiculous performance
to the non-army broke observer to
watch a party of officers riding through
the streets of village occupied by
American troops Every private In
sight saiutes them. They salute back
until they look like a party of commute
ers making the final sprint for the 1i:1o
train.
forced on the Americans at present De-
cause few of them ever saluted any
one before they Joined the Army-and
saluttng is the base on which ohsei-
piine is built Here in the British lines
not nearly so much Is done. because
the soldiers are thoroughly disciplined.
Their response TO an order 10 auto
not stop to reason why-they just do
It. That Hghtning-like obedience 10
necessary in this war. The boche 10 .
speed merchant himself. The man who
delays the fraction OF second In obey
ty lists.
II thought all that saluting was just
show" said an American ofhcer. until
visited the British front and learned
the Importance of instantaneous obedi-
ence / used to feel sort of a fool
when / took a salute, but ! shall not
any more"
How Canadians Learned.
That was the experience of the Cana
dams at the beginning of the war. They
are enough like the Americans to have
been cut from the same piece. Most Of
them knew their officers well in civil
life.
money each year as my captain does"
one Of them told me the other day, but
he is captain because he 10 at for IT,
and / am not"
attention and click their heels whom
they spoke to an officer. The Canadian
ofncer did not enjoy the heel-cltcktnG.
Both parties were too full of democracy
which is an excellent thing in its place,
but which is out of place IN war. as the
Russians have proven.
So the boche broke up the Canadians
pretty severely two or three, times. be-
of the town meeting into trench war
fare. The Canadian IL perhaps as WIDE
ly removed from a fool as any sentient
being can be. He got the point Now
ganiEation in the British army than the
Canadians. and no organisation that II
getting more scalps to the superficial
area. Our officers are being taught the
habit of command in the British schools
cipline to their men when they 90 back
to the line.
"'Ten-shunr barked a drin ssrxsant
10 f1.aA
ing how. They stood in front Of . squad.
half Of them solid. muscular young veter.
ans just back from the fighting around
passchsndaeis and the other half Azasri:
young officers being worked over by the
instructors They were serious ~ school,
an Eys1S SPOT as: ssn i.s e q
was Immediate and instipcttva and crs-
anst a.sa the Imp1essisa q sssss psy:e sssss
not yet been stinened mp by service. nav
was faint but perceptible lack Of ten
sion.
ofacer Repeats Order. I
"'Ten-shun." repeated the Amsrican
lieutenant
It was a slxim-miIk imitation Of the
would obey the AmericanIs order HIS
obedience to the drill sergeant would BE-
like crash. The drill sergeant made q
Ic" SoHitHcutS. 1Acy were IQe same com.
nients that he made later to a young
Briton who had not yet mastered the
punch" in giving orders. The American
flushed. He was mad all through. NEXT
time he gave that order there was Tight
ip every note OF it 1t was his Job to
handle the squad and he handled 'em
The habit of command" became his right
there, apparently.
Pine young man." said the Brftfah on !
Ger who looked. Hell do"
Later on talked with the odacer IN
IND nff rln<>,y 49, <r-
cans He said they seemed -difiidentG
his exact words-because they had not
yet learned the habit Of command. They
had not had time to learn 1t. he said They
had been rushed through couFse Of
preparation. during which they were under
instruction all the time The habit Of com.
mand is a thing of growth and gained re-
sponsibilty. Their ''difidence. he said,
was perfectly normal He was very COM
plimentary as TO the American ofiicers
who had been in his school
Very keen" said he. Zine spirit None
better"