The Keota news., 1917-05-25

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changes had been even more notable BY
the Introduction and almost excludve
use Of indirect laying. which required
In artillery officers and noncommis-
sioned officers facilities Of rapid ooser-
walton and calculation; again the CO
operation of artillery and airplanes
was q closed book to all the old school
gunners; the use Of telephones and
signals had been developed in manner
unknown to quite recent generations
Of ofhcers.
courses at Woolwich and Sandhurst
were reduced and the age limit low
cred. A, certain number Of commissions
were granted directly to university
graduates and ex-warrant and noncom-
missioned officers were given commits
sions. There were at the beginning OF
the war % senior officers training
CORDS. Some Of the best trained men
from the senior corps were given regu-
lar commissions at once and large num-
bers received Temporary commission"
great many senior boys from the cadet
corps of the schools were also given
temporary commissions. 1t IL an indi-
cation Of the value Of these o. T. C.'s
at q critical junction Of the war. that
within the first year Of the war the
Oxford university o. T. @. provided
over $500. three Of the smaller north
ern universities' o. T. C.'s over 1000
and the Inns Of Court o. T. C.'s over
$500. It was found necessary to give
temporary commissions even to univer-
sity graduates and the senior boys In
public schools. Practically all pupils Of
the public schools applied for commits
sions as soon as they reached the age
limit. Excellent material for Junior
officers was found among the young
men who had gone to the colonies or
foreign countries to take up life OF
adventure. No young men made better
officers than these, for all had taken
some risks; they had been on their own
responsibility. and generally had men
under them and experienced dangers
BY flood and field. The supply Of ofd-
GERS for a technical corps proved sur
prisingly adequate, the war office Sc
lecting according to the recommenda-
ti0ns Of the heads Of the correspond
ing civil professions. In addition to
these the war office has obtained
large sta6 Of specialists for work With
the troops, e. g., bacteriologists. oph-
thalmologists, aurists, radiOlOgists, der
matologists, experts In tropical dis
eases, etc.
For all practical purposes, most OF
the infantry subalternS OF the new ar
mics had to train themselves during the
FIRST five months Of the war as best
they could in the intervals Of training
their men. If the officers were un-
trained, the nOncommissioned officers
Of the new armies were in the main
even less trained. This presented a
marked contrast to the really good ser
geant of the old school with his min
gled humor and severity. rutting
squad of recruits through their PAGES.
the type Of Kipling's Private Mulvaney.
There was some compensation for this.
however; the fact that the necessity of
doing the noncommissioned officers Job
as we'll as their own gave the ofncers
greater proficiency and better under
standing Of their men.
An experienced British general writ
ing on the training Of some Of these
new divisions, said that a mass Of
civilians had been transformed in less
than eight months into an army which
had more practical training for war