The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-12-26
EErIs6lloif YElEnRN LIVES with YhTiiikkSS,
SAYS THEY FIGHT And DON'T BOAST

SAYS they
From the London Spectator.
I have had the good fortune to spend
nine months in an American canton
ment in closest touch with the Off
GERS and men of two divisions; / have
crossed the Atlantic in a convoy OF
American troops, and ! nave fought by
the side OF American soldiers in F1an-
ders.
Englishmen have grown accustomed
to foreign soldiers now-French, Bel
gian, Italian, and the rest-and they do
not seem so strange as they once did.
But all these approximate to the Euro
pean military model, with which pur
own army has much in common. Our
colonial soldiers. too, though different,
are so rather In degree h in kind,
for the have been schooled by instruc-
tors formed In the mold of the British
army. The Americans, on the other
hand, despite certain similarities to our
w men, are something entirely new,
and need explanation.
On the face OF things the most OBJ
vious difference between Them n our
selves is in the outward and visible
evidences OF discipline. I'd the casual
observer the Americans q am speak
Ing of the average in both armfes) are
not so we'll turned out as YOU men,
they are not so smart in movement OF
so steady in standing nor haVe they
to all appearances the same respect
for rank ana a%nth9alty; IN o'her WORDS
This is a judgment which I have
often heard passed. upon the American
soldier; it Is a criticism which !! mysei1
have made In the past. With WIDER
experience and fuller understanding OF
A. Z fh{nlr M" fnAI/
1t is hardly just. Discipline. after all,
IL not an absolute quality; II differs
In various countries, and doubtless the
German militarist considers U SOL
diers Ill disciplined. Discipline Is oliy
q to the end OF military e11i-
cheney.
Naturally In a country which makes
a fetish Of independence the system 10
different from that Of one where au-
thority is much respected ana service
a high ideal. American discipline ID
more elastic than ours in the circum.
stances OF everyday soldering; but, It
contracts under strain. It Is 1ounded
not so much on respect for authority
as on q sense Of responsibility which
the feeling OF equality e%ngenders.
OF the three great allied nations,
| there is most liberty in Britain, most
equality in America, and most frater-
nifty in France. The American equality,
however, produces not anarchy but CO.
| operation; and discipline, as Mill said,
is the perfection OF cooperation.
The Americans Of course are by tenn
peraneFt markedly individualistic, but
spread rel a large number of men this
quality seems to produce teamwork
rather than the reverse. Nor Is this SO
paraaoxical asjt would appear. for in-'
| dividuals can fit INTO their places and
| raake q good combination.
| In a large unit composed OF special
I lists 1t is likely that most of the talents
| Ind proficiencies required in the army
/ will be to hand. No matter what one
I photography to bridge building Il choose
4 two actual examples from my own ex-
periance), it can be done within h
unit. Their bodies Of specialists round
| themselves with remarkable ease into
symmetrical and disappearing or
ganizations. And While an individual
tst, the American soldier is extremely
adaptable.
We pride ourselves upon OUT powers
OF improvisation, but in this respect
| the American soldier is fully our
match poth in ingenuity and applica-
tor. Arising out Of this indiNidualis1n
also is another advantage OF the great
est value-that. as a Canadian officer
remarked to me, Americans win never
lack for a leader in an emergency. On
the other hand, in the presence OF a
duly appointed and qualified com1nan-
der they are as capable of loyal CO.
operation and exact obedience as any
professional soldier.
If there is one particular ranch of
military service which is most congo
Mai to the American genius, it is avia-
zion. The Americans are at once q ma
ton of individuals, Of sportsmen, and
of automobilists. I have said enough
of the first quality; and as for the 9TH
er two, all their young men play games,
| an1 all car 1riSyn- and most 1Ir11arcfar ~
a motor car. The value to their avia-
tion inherent in these accomplishments
will be apparent to all.
The American army, 1t must be re-
inembSred, has not vet sorted itself out:
in that respect its condition resembles
ours in 1916. AT present one of it's or
binary infantry regiments could prob
ably construct & trench system as
well as an engineer regiment: a ma
chine gun company will have as good
mechanics as a motor train; a trench
mortar battery will possess craftsmen
equal to those OF an intelligence sec
ton. Tie process of Sitting human
material takes time, and the American
army cannot reach its state of highest
efficiency until its men are ASSIGNED
to their correct places. Meanwhile
these specialists, so many of them col
lege trained, are extremely useful wher-
ever they are.
The colored soldiers occupy a posi-
lion apart from the rest, but 1 DO not
think that they appreciably lower the
general standard. In the camps, at any
rate, they are obedient, cheerful, well
disciplined, and obviously fond Of SOL
diering; but undoubtedly they are sub
sect TO fits Of mob emotion. Given lead
ers who can hold them, they should dc
well in action, and there is no reason
why they should not have right lead
ers.
nave said nothing OF the courage
moral or physical, OF the American SOL
dlers. their dash in the attack or theiI
obstinacy in the defense. These quail
ties are assumed in them by all Eng
lishnen who know them; and that il
the highest compliment tina we could