The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-07-06
MAKE GOLD HUNTERS OF
THE SOLDIERS

And now comes Arthur Bris-
bane, who gets paid for thinking
up ideas and expressing them in
a newspaper column. This time
Mr.. Brisbane advances an idea of
one Mr.. CORTLAND Smith who
wonders why government does
not "put the army to work look
ing for gold" He surmises ac-
curately that soldiers would be
more useful prospecting for gold
on mountain sides and in streams
than they are parading up and
down Governors Island, in New
York harbOr, or parading some
where else uselessly," says Mr..
Brisbane.
Again Mr.. Brisbane says: "Why
keep the thousands of soldiers
monotonously and uselessly do
ing nothing when they might be
profitably and happily employ
ed?"
After reading Mr.. Brisbane's
idea we are forced to wonder If
Mr.. Brisbane ever was on an
army post. If he was he must
have been there for the purpose
of attending one of his useless
parades" and nothing else. His
idea of the army, its aims and
purposes, it's usefulness, and Its
Occupation comedies with that OF
many other people who see the
army only on parade and think
the soldiers life a bed of roses
at the.expense of the government:
Perhaps Mr.. Brisbane should
have investigated further before
advancing Mr.. CORTLAND Smiths
idea of the gold expedition. He
might have discovered that the
army does something beside pa
rade. He might have discovered
that the army's primary objective
is the defense of the nation.
Had he taken time and chatted
with officers of the army as well
as enlisted men he might have
discovered that, although the phi
mary purpose of the army is de-
tense, few of the men at present
in the army believe that they will
be called upon to defend the
country. He might have discov-
cred that the army does not an
ticipate and does not desire war.
He would in all probability have
discovered that army officers and
men, while not anticipating, while
not desiring war, are of the Opin-
ion that the world is not yet free
from the scourge of war; and he
would have discovered that the
army attitude is one of passing
on to those who come after the
advancement made. in the art of
war, for war is an art, and the
training for the defense of the
nation when war becomes a real
ity.
Had Mr.. Brisbane spared a day
from his busy life and spent the
time with the army he would in
all probability have been amazed
at the activity of the army mans
life. Had he spent his day with
the regular. army during its ac-
tive training period he would
have found the army busily en-
gagged in learning its lessons on
the field, not on the parade
ground. Had he spent the time
during the summer months he
would have found every available
man busy instructing the nation,
al guard, the citizens military
training camp youths and host
of reserve officers in. the adj
vances made since their last ac-
tive training period. He might
even have seen a useless pa
rade," but it would have been at
the close of a busy day, and
would have been 4 matter of re-
spect to the flag. Had he spent
his time at one of the service
schools he would have seen ex-
periments carried on by soldiers,
designed not merely to improve
the army's living conditions,
but their comfort and their health.
Had he spent the time at Aber-
deem at the proving ground he
would have found the army busy
computing data obtained by the
actual proving of material. Had