The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-12-28
OFFICERS AND MEN

Ipreyent social intercourse between Of
flcers and men of the army. In re-
ply Secretary Baker submitted as the
sonly paragraph in the army regula-
tions bearing on the relationship be-
tween officers and enlisted men the
Following:
Superior officers are forbidden to
injure, under their authority, by tyran-
&nical or capricious conduct or by abus-
Fe language. While maintaining dis
tipline and thorough and prompt per-
ormance of duty all officers, dealing
nth enlisted men, will bear in mind
ne absolute necessity of so treating
hem as to preserve their selfrespect.
3fficers will keep in close touch as
possible with their men under their
command, will strive to build up such
. relations of confidence and sympathy
Jas win insure the free approach Of
their men to them for counsel and as
sistance. This relationship may be
{ gained and maintained without relaxa-
8 ton of the bonds of discipline and with
great benefit to the service as whole. :"
II this is all there is on the subject
IN the rules of the war department
Secretary Baker might have informed
the senate that there was no rule of
the department to prevent social in
H tercourse between the officers md
}1sen Of the army, for there is nothing
lin the paragraph quoted that forbids
lit. This paragraph serves no other
purpose than to prevent mistreatment
|Iof the private soldiers. 1t encourages
Jas close relations between the officers
land men as could be expected.
"A Secretary Baker explains further:
f .Distinctions in rank in the army are
solely in the interest of military dis
|{cipline. They imply no social distinc-
lion; indeed, in country like ours,
the advantage of education and cul-
fure will very frequently be found in
favor of the soldier: and yet it is me-
3cessary that the soldier should ac-
|auire by continuous and unvarying
practice the habit of instant obedience
ito his superior. This is as true of Of
acefs as of men,
No one will dispute the necessity of
unhesitating obedience to commands,
but it may well be doubted whether
s dead line of social demarkation is
necessary to secure this. If it is those
who advocate it for the men do not
80 far enough. If it is necessary each
tank should be exclusive. The general
Hn-chief should have no social rela-
ions with anybody because all must
iobey him. The colonel should have
no social relations with the majors
Ind captains and lieutenants since all
these must obey him without question.
But those who favor this social dis
&inction in the name of discipline do
not object to the association of Off
kers from general to second lieuten-
mt. II there is anything in this idea
Why should not each officer refuse to
associate with his interiors in rank
Referring to the duty of unhesitating
obedience Secretary Baker continues:
The relationship between officers
Ind men. therefore, must be so ar
BANGED as to lead to this indispensa-
Die result but this is entirely consist
ent with respect. sympathy and mu-
NAL consideration, and the best Off
#erss are those who have most COM
DIetely won the affection of their men.
Military annals are filed with splen-
hid stories of men imperilling their
Ives outside of the necessities of mill
*tary action in order to save the life
5f beloved captain
& Secretary Baker is right. The so%
Rrs cannot know a capable officer
3 b we'll The better they know him
b more implicitly they will obey him
( It's only the incapable that must hold
M3C Attt1 NhNCA ttiCnA at AuAp0ScdUlC
distance in order to be obeyed. These
bould not be protected; they should
Ia weeded out.
Americans are taught in their daily
ives to obey In their business all
bung men serve under their supe.
ars in position. These they must
their bread and butter depend
IN u. Employers do not get better
rork from their employees by holding
themselves aloof Nine times out OF
"a the man who can be lone of the
boys" if he is competent, can get bet.
Ter work out of them than he could n
,e held himself entirely aloof from
hem. There is no reason to think a
I nile of business life would not apply
4 military life In fact the French