The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-07-23
By DOUGLAS LARSEN

ficers to live in civilian communi- ties, among other things.
 But on this extended tour of seven of the largest Army install lations in the country, which the Army arranged so the press could "see the Army as it is today" not one of the hundreds of enlisted men I talked to have been official ly informed of Patterson's orders. Most of them hadn't heard of the Doolittle Committee or read about Patterson's directive in the pa perS.
 Fear Discipline Weakening
 The War Secretary's orders were to have gone into effect i'm mediately when they were issued several weeks ago, and a further order that officers and men wear the same uniform is to be put into effect later.
 Typical attitude of most com- manding officers is that these changes will weaken discipline. They claim the men themselves don't want the changes. The enlisted men I talked to who had read about the changes in the papers are divided into two schools of thought on the subject: some say it's just bunch of llokum cooked up by the brass hats to encourage enlistments, and the others think the changes fail to strike at the heart of the problem and don't mean a thing,
 Several incidents already have been reported in Fayetteville, N. C., just outside Fort Bragg, and in other towns close to Army posts, which would seem to back up both of those CT theories. In one case, a soldier failed to salute major on the street. When rep rimanded severely, he told the major he had read in the paper that saluting on the street was no longer necessary The major told him 1t wasn't so.
 Will Want to Salute
 Other than face-to-faee repri- mands, there is no report of any disciplinary action having been taken against an enlisted man failing to salute off post, how ever. There was no evidence of any enlisted men association with officers after duty hours either.
 Maj.-Gen. John w. ODaniel, a battle veteran known as Iron Mike" who commands this post, spoke frankly:
 "The job of the Army is to win battles. And you don't win battles with the enlisted men calling the officers by their first names. As far as saluting goes, if a soldier is properly trained, he will want to salute his officers regardless of where he sees them. When I meet soldier on the street I am salut- ing him as much as he is sal- uting me. -.. @
 During the first fighting in Tunisia we discovered that the men had become too friendly with their officers. Officers were hesi- tating sending enlisted men friends on dangerous assignments. We had to tighten up on this And I don't see why we should do anything in peace in the Army which is bad practice in war" Airborne Not Concerned
 The colorful young hero of the famed 82d Airborne Division, Mai. Gen. James M. Gavin, was outspoken, too.
 T don't think all this talk about the caste system has much to do with the airborne troops" he said. The officers and men work together too closely all the time. A mans respect for his officer is based on how well the officer takes care of him during battle and at all times. The officer has won better living conditions by the sweat of his brow and by using his head better. It is part of the democratic way of think ing that he should be rewarded for this extra effort and my men accept this"
 Enlisted men in his command supported Gavin's statement. Lis ten to a corporals words:
 Slim Jim (Gen. Gavin and the other officers here really take care of us. AS far as we're concerned, talk about the caste system is lot of bunk He would never ask us to do anything he wouldn't do first. I'm so used to saluting off the post I wouldn't know how to stop and don't want to. As far as associating with officers, I borrow the Majors car every other night, and I drink beer with him. I'd soon- CT jump with him in combat than any one I know"
 A captain at Fort Bragg said the real caste system in the Army is the one between junior officers and the 'big brass.
 Now that the wars over," he declared. 'the field officers (of- ficers of the rank of major and above) are setting themselves up as tin gods If we don't bow and scrape even at social functions we're promptly set down and usual ly wind up with extra detail next day"
 And a PFC wanted to enter his claim that the real caste system in the Army is between the non- coms and the privates.
 No private dares stick his nose in a non-conls club he explained. No matter what do, my sergeant chews me out. I get more courtesy from the captain than do from the first-sergeant."