Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-29

The young men in onr national army will reach the firing line very different, in physical aspect and in character, from what they were a year obedience. patience. se1f-restraint, ra source in emergencies and various other virtues we associate with mili- tary life. Most of them will be stronger in body and more courageous in spirit than when they entered can tonment gates The government will have tried to teach them the, great lesson that the first foe any fighter must conquer is that within himself. Until a soldier has achieved self-con- quest. he is no match for any enemy outside. An army of undisciplined men is no better than a mob.
 It is good. to believe that the over whe1ming majority of our young men return safe to civic life when peace is declared and that they will be better citizens for all their hard experiences Pittsburgher Who gave up a SIP 900 job to enter the officers training camp but who failed of commission wrote thus of the military school the govern ment is running up on Lake Cham plain: T believe Plattsburg has added 10 years to my natural life. I know that it has put A hours more into each day. I now function fully mentally, spiritually, physically, for the first time in my 1ife.5 can accomplish steadily twice as much as I could be- fore came here. This may sound like exaggeration. Just remember that we have been tempered here in a furnace under constant forced draft, the use less burned away. the strengthened metal left"
 the military life means for thousands of city-bred men may be indicated in this further leaf from experience: Like all my fellow candidates, I have not had drink since came here I haven't missed it. I'm off alcohol for good, too. Insomnia is banished. We have learned to sleep soundly from almost the instant we slip into our springless hunks, and cheerily to jump out of bed at d given minute. It used breakfast. I do it now ;n 20, counting the shower, too" It is easy to see that disciplined and efficient young officers are to command our men in France. That it is tough struggle for many an American youth to submit to in- flexible rules goes without saying. We have never in this country, thank God, been Prussianized. But we do need to be disciplined, to conquer our appe- subjection to proper authority. Such lessons our young soldiers, a long time before they reach the trenches, are called to master. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty am he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city, There might be writ- ten over the grave of many a man who has already fallen in the great world struggle for democracy the epitaph: Here lies soldier, whom all must
 applaud Who fought many battles. at home
 and abroad, But the hottest enga cement he ever
 was in,
 Was the conquest of self in the battle
 with sin.
 If war teaches us, as a nation, self control, it will prove far from complete calamity. If 1t develops millions of flabby muscles and puts iron into millions of weak wills. we must admit the blessing of it, along with the tragic loss. How shall any of us bear a sol dier's part in the great world battle for righteousness till awe have subdued our afoth, our greed. the various evils in our own hearts2 He who would wage any victorious moral battle for Ais times must first be a. veteran in .arnis." -s ....s -s.as
 1.-THE PAnSoS.-.