MILITARY DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 754, 1 March 1910, Page 4

MILITARY DEFENCE.

. THE CITIZEN SOLDIER. ■AS VIEWED BT If. OF K. Fnll details of Lord Kitchener's scheme of'defence, for Australia nmke interesting reading, especially in view of the fact that his lordship is preparing a report upon Uia position of. juijitary defence in ,Ncw Zealand. ■ '"Tho ; .citizen should," :Lord Kitchener says;-"bo-brought up from boyhood to look forward to the day when will bo., enrolled as. fit to defend his country; and ho should b'b.accustomed to practise those habits of self-denial, of de\t)tion to, and emulation in, the execution of, his duty, of reticence, and of ■prompt obedience to lawful authority, which: ore essential to the formation of patriotic and- efficient "citizen.soldiers." These; considerations, ho urges; show; how ■completely a citizen force should be kept outside , party politics, and resentment of political interference is shown in the declaration that political feeling in an army iis always a serious drawback to cfEciencyj and may becomo a danger to the State, no less than in a later remark, in another connection, that "a citizen officer ■elected to' any Parliament should bo at ■ once seconded." . ~' . . ... ;..,.-.

"A citizen officer,"'his'Lordship'con- : " thnws, "should bo appointed, as early.as 'possible in his military career, so that he may, at the most receptive time of his life, study his duties as an officer, ■ and develop his qualifications for irapart- ••; ing instruction and leadership of men. -, It. should be understood that the accept- '•' enco of a commission entails a liability ■to serve as an officer for at least 12 years, but such a liability would not interfere ; with ;free movement'from place to place ■in Australia; nor. with resignation should ■the Governor-General be pleased to accept fit; nor, subject to the exigencies; of the (service; with tho privilege of .-leave'on private affairs to visit countries'', outside Australia. In citizen forces all promo- . tions, ; slioiild.be..from-:.the..ranks;.;bjjt J in.-. '.. order to. get young officers, he.. advises, that for this purpose service iu the. ranks': of .senior cadets should count. .Under r this system it isestiniated that an offi- . cer would' obtain his- first, commission.! . between the ages of , . 13 ■ and. 20, ; would .reach the rank of captain about 26, aud .-of major about 30 or 32—i.e., whenhis/12' ■years' service is about to expire/'Above' the,rank of major-no obligation--to., serfs -'■ should, be necessary; zjalous officers .would, remain in order to command their., bat talions or regiments, and' subsequently■brigades." '; '. ■•■i''--"'' '■ '..::■' "The Australian citizen soldier,"' .pro'-'. , ceeds E. of K., ."experiences-.much .';of. : ;mititary_ value, in the everyday conditions, : : of his civil lite. Hβ is generally a good . rider,: active, lithe, -and intelligent. ■ .Asia fladet, he is taught to' 'shoot,, ■"and ..':learns. ; the rudiments of , drill,: .ing _ through his recruit adult;-training, ,he joins the "force: as an efficient--soldier." Much', will undoubtedly depend ': on - • the? amount of training that, through selfr ; denial i.'and devotion to his duty,-.the. .citizen* soldier performs at.'or.'near ' his* .home, and, if this is done, in my opini6n :he will be-able, to. subsequentlymaintain his efficiency as a , soldier 'untkr.' -.the training that has been proposed. ... Throughout. the period of '■'. service;: the .citizen soldier must remember.'that he is .discharging a duty'to his country, and that j the pay. he "receives is not a> wage but-an allowance to"assistV'.-himvini.'.thY: ..;discharge- of his,duty. The.selection and. ■training of the non-commissioned:'•;officer .will ,be primarily the ,work of the citizen officer., Promising non-commissioned .officers: should be sent . t0..: schools.', for. further technical■. training : on- tho. 6ameV conditions • as "the-citizen:. offi- ■ cer {..;•.-they should γ-be"-'-. "eri. conraged to extend:.their services, arid would be, of course, eligible, for.>commissidns."-',■"•'■■ .-': Dealing with the training of the' citizen Boldier, his Lordship remarked that the /tipining might be divided into two parts —the: home training, which 'will take ; place-jail the year.i-rcrond in-, the vicinity (of. the" men's homes' tinder the Staff Corps tor the citizen officers of the area-; and ■'tne,,camp training, which Trill'.be annuVallyijield in the neighbourhood, and will •generally consist of a brigade of infantry /■withya proportion rof..other'Varmsi'-'ln torder;to sustain the:interest, of,tho force,,'tho instruction given should be'of a pro-" Igressiye nature. The' soldier-should annually Jbe taught- the ''proper ;■' practical methods "of carrying out. some , new • exercise as well. as .being,■tested : in- what':he' • has: learnt 'before':'■γ-frhus" a : fresh'- exercise would he stH'died.."every ■•year'in the .area,,and.practically.tested. at tho'camp'.' When this has '.teeri''. {done,' the- exercise to bef'Studied duriiig/the next year' should be initiated and /explained.. ■■ Every 'iyear three, or more bfigadesfshould Deselected lor concentration;!" s'o;,,is to .'practise.'commanders, staffs,'..and-railways, ;in dealing with -large bodiesrof; : 'troops.:x Training* generally should., consist-.of all'-;tha.t" is ■ essential to good marching, abenrato'controlled. shooting, and, the-combination of -n.. nrms :il * la^tack and: 'defence;. I ' l '*- '~:'. .'.' -ine. principles,contained'in..tho?manuals' ot the sh6nia-;be follbwc'd.'r but, they must : bc.iappliedf.with :intelli-' gence-and, with : doe: fegard to the local conditions of gToiind,' dtfd, a>m-. -.position of the force. Land would be required to .properly / and '' satisfactorily'' ■ c ; r y^. oD . t work J: and in .the selection , two qflon conflicting conditions • must be reconcilcd-one that it should bo close to cities in order,that,units and brigades '-.wi l;lose no. time on- the road, ;and; other, that.it, 1 should be laree lTi g i\ for m . an r oeu !?-es. Such localities ..■nould be used for the annual, trainings, and, ;,jvhere possibly. made available for the breeding -of - artillery