The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-10-14
QUESTION FOR SOLDIERS.
Is Marching Easier at Head of Col
umn Than at Tail?

Here is a statement made on seemingly
competent authority, that our boys in
camp should report on. Major Wardent
Denniss says: For some reason which |
have never been able to fathom it is much
more of a strain to march at the tail of
OF a column than at the head.
The only suggestion the officer can make
Is that perhaps it is because the rear of
the column marches through the exhala
| tons of those in front.
| This theory is quite obviously incorrect.
| for while it might be true in marching
| through deep trench, sunken road, or
/ even in an unyentilated armory building,
| in the open the least side breeze would
upset the assumption First of all, is it
| true? Does the soldier in the rear ranks
grow fatigued more quickly? In the ex-
J perience of the race course, in foot races,
bicycle races, and even on the equine turf
the very opposite is noted. We all can re-
call the astonishing SCATTERING of records
there in the cycle world when pace
makers were introduced The men who
went out in front and set the pace rode
short distance only and then blew up,
giving place to others ready to take over
the task. Meanwhile the rider behind,
the record maker, was. keeping up all the
5
strain.
OF course, the fact was that the rider
behind was passing through a raretied
atmosphere split, as it were, by the pace
making machines, but that did not ac-
count for the entire phenomenon The
man in front had to do his best all the
time without knowing exactly what that
best should be. What fatigued him was
L. ~,
more the mental strain, the anxiety and
the doubt in what proportion at each
moment he should expend his strength.
The other man merely had ,vutine task
TO perform, namely that of keeping in
touch with the first fellow.
We know, too, that it is only the great
ly superior runner in any foot race who
can get out in front and show the way
from bell to tape" or as sporting par
lance has it, to make a runaway race
If the men are at all evenly matched, il
is ''long-odds' bet that the man who
dashes to the front at the beginnn- OF
the contest will exhaust his nerve power
before the home stretch is reached, and
will see his rivals pass him with ease, and
finish well ahead.
Here we believe the phenomenon agar
is a mental one, due to the mans inabil;
~ to gauge his speed and his anxiety
lest he make mscalculation.
/ With these well established facts il
mind it would seem that the front RAM
men should be quickest fatigued. anc
that those further back, with only tn,
tread of the soldier ahead to duplicate
= should be able to hang on with far les
effort
In any case, this is most interesting
: problem, and as an experienced marche
and commander of men, Major Denniss'
! belief must be given weight Perhap
there is some quite different scientific o
psychological reason that some of our boy
! will be able to hang on with far les
effort
1t has long been known that to intens
: fy the rhythm of the march by singna
hand music or by merely repeating tn
= old Injunction. ''hay-foot, straw-foot.
4 will help on the line, and it is Just pos
4 sihe that the Improvement is due not $
much to rhythm itself as to the distrat
!, tion of the attention from the anxiety c
. effort What do our soldiers think of thi
), matter?-New Orleans Times Picayun,