The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-10-16
Army Commandments

EVERY newspaper and periodical one picks up
IL these days has its'h otices Of some new book
that has been written to teach the young military
idea how to shoot in fact, many are the books
and so varied the subjects treated by these self
appointed mentors for the recruit that he often
finds himself lost in maze of data-precepts and
cautions that aim to guide him Alright but which
many times serve but to confuse and bewilder him.
Amid this mass OF facts and fancies it is re-
freshing to find now and then few pieces of adj
vice which are Immediately available without
wading through pages of useless printed matter.
OF all the pieces of advice that have come to our
attention, the following Soldiers Ten Command
ments,'' compiled by Major W. E. B. French, U.
S. A., seem to have the greatest amount OF sound
advice expressed in the most concise and unmis-
taxable form. His military decalogue is:
keep your eyes at the ready, your ears at
full cock and your mouth at the safety notch; for
it is your soldierly duty to see and hear clearly
hut as rule you should be heard mainly in the
sentry challenge or the charging cheer. Obey or
ders first, and If still alive kick afterward if you
have been wronged.
'II-Keep your rife and gun and your accout-
erments clean and in good order, and yourself as
clean as you can; treat your animals kindly and
fairly and your motor or other machine though
it belonged to you and was the only one in the
world. Do not waste your ammunition, your
gas, your food, your time nor your opportunity.
"IlI-Never try to fire an empty gun nor at an
empty trench; but when you shoot, shoot to kill,
and forget not that at close quarters a bayonet
beats bullet. 's,.
"IV-Tell the truth squarey, face the music
and take your punishment like man; for good
soldier won't lie, doesn't skuk and is no squealer.
"V-Remember Edith Cavell, Belgium, Serbia,
the Lustania, Louvain, and the U-boats Of the
Hun; and, remembering Teuton savagery, barbar-
ism and atrocities, steel your heart against the
ravishers of women, the murderers and mutilators
of children and Of non-combatants, the ruthless
destroyers of homes, the Hounds of the Hohen-
zollerns-the bestial Boches.
,."VI-Be mercifu to the women OF your foe and
shame them not; for you a and not a
beast, and woman bore you. And pity and shield
the children in your captured territory, for you
were once a helpless child, and only bastard
makes war on the weak
.."NII--You shall kill in the name and for the
sake of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity until
Right shall triumph over Might, and until Victory
shall crown Justice. You shall never desert your
Cause, your Country, your Colors your Corps,
your Comrades in Arms, nor the Great Alliance
of the Liberators. And you shall fight shoulder to
shoulder with your Brothers in the League OF
Liberty to the end that Despotism, Autocracy and
Frighfulness shall perish upon the earth and that
Freedom and Democracy shall become the heri-
tage of humankind.
K ''NIII--FeaT dishonor and dread defeat; be Of
good cheer and high courage, and do not shrk
work or danger; but fear not death, dread not
wounds, suffer in silence and die game.
"IX-Bear in mind that the enemy is your
enemy and the enemy of humanity until he is
killed or captured; then he is your dead brother
or your fellow-soldier, beaten and ashamed, whom
you should no further humiliate.
"X-Do your best to keep your head clear and
cool, your body clean and comfortable and your
feet in good shape; for you think with your head
fight with your body, stand and march on your
feet"