Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-10-13
TROOPS IN FRANCE ARE LEARNING
DISCIPLINE OF FOREIGN ARMIES
Officers Are Inclined to Follow Sneck British System But French
Democracy Is Invading Ranks-0ur New Crop Of Reserve
Officers Are Greater StickIers for Form Than
Most West Pointers.

On one hand there was the officer
class, carefully selected and carefully
trained, and on the other hand, the en-
listed men, haphazardly accepted from
the floating population. Professional
| armies the world over are recruited
largely from the lndustrially inefficient
during times Of peace.
An American regular of no great
promise was bewailing the fact that an
officer had hoped him because he
executed command imperfectly.
SWELL" his companion answered.
wouldn't the farmer bawl you out If
he told you to feed the horses and you
didn't give them as much as he told
your" 1t was the typical point of view
of the old type of professional sol
der. He was drawn from the "bawled
out" class and he could be governed
only by "bawl out" methods.
Things are largely changed now.
More than half the American army in
France Is made up Of men who joined
after the declaration of war. They
were not jobless or inefficient. Multi
tudes of reasons sent them into the
ranks. few wanted to make the
world safe for democracy. Many more
desired adventure, an ocean voyage
and trip to Paris and perhaps Ber-
lin.
81 was marching my men along the
other day." said young captain.
when heard a private give the cheer
of the University of Nebraska. | ran
up to him and said: You didn't do that
very well. I'm Nebraska man myself.
Let's do 1t together
All Sorts Of Officers.
There are then men drawn from
many classes In the army and there
will be more. Already there are all
sorts of officers. There is the regular
from West Point, the occasional regu-
lar from civil life, the officer who came
through the Fort Leavenworth training
school, the reserve officers and num-
Der of former ''non-coms" recently
elevated to commissions. The greatest
sticklers for discipline are the reserve
officegs.
II was talking to soldier In the
Street" said an old West Pointer, "and
lhe was telling me he had too much
money to spend. 4 can't use half of
it, he said, and waste 1t on things
/ don't want. Look at the bunch of
cigars | bought. Take handful
took three, but l was mighty sorry
afterwards, because / had with me
young fellow, just commissioned sec
ond lieutenant, and he was almost
shocked to death that should take
cigars from soldier"
The officers who rose from non-coms
are also somewhat stiff and formal in
the exercise of their new-found honors.
All have been transferred from their
regular regiments, so that they shall
not be associated with the enlisted men
they knew before they held commits
sions. Some officers believe in leading
their men, while others In driving them,
while still third class combine the
two methods. One Of the best young
officers | have seen in the army is
absolutely informal with his men at
times. He comes to their concerts and
hands cigars to the quartette and con-
suits with them as TO what song they
shall sing
Captain, do you like 'CathleenT"
the big soldier who sang tenor would
ask, and the captain would answer:
"Does 1t go like this?" humming bar,
and then add: "Yes, that's good one /;
let's have it," He could be stern
enough upon occasion, and he had the
best bombers In the army, but liked
his men to know the reasons for things.