Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-04-22
ABOLISH SALUTE. -,
URGES VETERAN. !
' OF WORLD. WAR
However, Other Officers Of
Soldiers Associa ti.on
Think 1t Necessary for
Army Discipline 49,,

abolish the military salute says
Captain Richard C. Waller, member
of the executive council of the World
War Veterans of America.
Keep the salute. 1t quickly i'm
presses obedience on recruits" says
Lieutenant Morris r. Levi command
ing officer of the World War Vet
Grams.
The first speaks from experience
in training camps instructing re-
cruits and along with the salute ne
would abolish these things required
of an enlisted man: .y,s.
Preface "Sir" in addressing an OF
ficer.
Necessity for rising when an Of
Addressing officer in third person.
Walking to left and one pace in
rear of officer.
at is an insult to say that we
must observe these practices to in
sure obedience to orders" Waller
says. :. s 80 .ao,,o
cratic army as the term is gen.
orally used, but there are certain
practices which must be abolished"
says Captain Waller.
Unlike Civilian Life
''Take the requirement of the man
ual for commissioned officers and
pr1VaIeS OIL Infantry LIdl d1 GllIlSICSt
man in addressing an officer should
address him in the third person and
should never say You He should
say: Did the captain desire to speak
with Sergeant Smith? It's stllted
and unnecessary.
tees from the head of a business
corporation. There is only one. le-
climate reason for tolerating them
in the army, and that is to teach
the enlisted man to respect and to
look up to his officer and to incul-
cate in him the habit of obedience
so that in battle he would obey or
ders instantly.
ST confess that have never SMELL
ed powder and do not know what
men in battle do, but I do know
the American fighting man and con-
we must adopt these practices to
insure that he will obey orders in
my duties for almost the dura-
ton of the war were. to instruct
recruits. Only recruit knows the
itary courtesy and principally upon
the salute. Many lectures are given.
This fact shows the Importance at
tached to military courtesy by our
staff officers.
Things He Taught
'DeSplCe all the times Sdlu COIl-
plimentary things about, military
courtesy, could never come to be-
lieve them myself l.:
ST have seen these practices from
two viewpoints, that, of a soldier
in the training camp and of an Of
ficer, and I can only say that l de-
spise them, that l do not believe
they are necessary and that l would
be glad to see them abolished IN
our army"
Commander Levi, expressing dis
agreement with Waller, says:
81 have taken men on, patrol into
the blackness of No Mans Land
where disobedience to the simple pre-
arranged orders meant death to all,
and led them into engagements dur
ing seven months of front line work,
That experience has convinced me
that to make quickly successful SOL
diers out of civilians it is imper-
alive to adhere strictly to a sys-
tenn that quickly impresses the re-
cruit with the necessity for recognize
ing vested authority.
"It Is true that in the trenches
the courtesies are supposed to be
dispensed with. But that is due TO
the fact that enemy observers may
in this way pick out and snipe an
officer. But usually the man renders
the courtesy before he remembers.
l have seen runners, coming from
units engaged in battle-men who
have been through a living death
gesture their salute before they stag
ger against a wall and feel In the
upper left-hand pocket for the mes
ga ge thew carrV,"