The Dominion. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1914. MILITARY METHODS: A CONTRAST

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2257, 17 September 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1914. MILITARY METHODS: A CONTRAST

The arrogant behaviour of the German.military caste has^ long been a byword in Europe. It is sullenly resented by the German populace, and has creatqd an unbridgable gulf between the'private soldier and tho officer. The prevalence'of this overbearing spirit of unbridled militarism has caused many an outburst of indignation and disgustj and the manners and customs ot the officer class have been bitterly satirised; but in Germany the prestige of the army is treated as of paramount importanoc. The Kaiser delights to be regarded as the great War Lord,, and the rights of civilians aro of comparatively little'importance in his sight when they happen to conflict with' hie policy of- converting the manhood of the nation into a great fighting machine. The dignity of the captains of his hosts must be maintained at all costs. The ordinary soldier is regarded as little more than a counter in the war game. He is well fed, well trained,' and well equipped—not because he iB a ma,n, but because it is necessary that every part of the military machine should do its. work with the utmost precision. As an individual, he is nothing. Tho picture drawn by Mr. Philip Gibbs of the life of the German soldier in war time discloses k state' of affairs which would never be tolerated in Britain .or France. The uttor indifference of the officers to the/iives of their men is absolutely repulsive. Mr. Gibbs declares that he heard .orders given to "spill blood like water so long as .those who follow may wade to the destined goal." It is, of course, impossible to wage war Without great sacrifice of valuable human lives; but the brutal callousness of the' German military caste as regards the fate of the private soldier is quite out of harmony .with the moral instincts and ideas of civilised man. This machine system of remorseless terrorism may occasionally lead to victory, but the cost must be tremendous,. and in the long run it is liable to end in disaster. Men-may allow themselves to be driven like sheep to the slaughter for a time, but there are' limits to human endurance, and when those limits are passed the most rigid discipline is apt to break down, and then all is-lost. Human instincts cannot be entirely suppressed. Even the German soldier cannot quite forget that he i is also a man, and it is not surprising to find that "privates often surrender gladly in order to escape their intolerable sufferings." The most brutal officer may compel obedience, but leadership without sympathy and fellowship can only evoke a sullen service which is always in danger of collapsing at the critical moment. The German soldier has shown great couragc during tho present oonflictj but courage cannot fail to gain in intensity and determination if backed ud by that spirit of enthusiasm which a sense of sympathy between officers and men always inspires.

In a very interesting comparison of French -and German methods of making war, General Joffre remarks that the Germans are disciplined to such a degree of animal, unreasoning, mechanical obedience that they fight best when held together under the personal command of their officers, Tho temperament of the French soldier is very different._ The French,, their Commander-in-Chief states, do not fight well when wedged together like bricks in a wall. They are never at their best unless allowed a little porsonal initiative, and become impatient under constant command and mechanical discipline. The Frenchman, in other words, insists on being a person, and resents any attempt to treat him as a more fighting -animal or military machino,

There is a. good deal to bo said in favour of each of_ these methods. The machine system, is very effective so long as every part of the machine is in perfect working order; but if anything puts it out of gear tho consequences are likely to be disastrous. Personal initiative is also a, good thing in its proper place, and it is generally associated with a spirit of adaptability which enables an army to face tho unexpected without bewilderment. The danger is that this greater freedom may result in the loosening of discipline—and in modern warfare the strictest discipline is one of the first essentials. There is. however, no necessary connection between discipline and brutality. Prompt and unhesitating obedience is tho first duty of overy British soldier, but it is the willing obedience of a free man who has full trust and confidence in those from whom ho receives his _ orders. Discipline is quite consistent with a propor sense of human dignity and self-respect. Indeed, the complete development of personality is impossible without it, just as true freedom is unattainable apart from the restraint of law. There is nothing servile or degrading in the British soldier's relationship with his officers. They are fellow-workers for King and country. _ They are comrades in arms, and it is the duty of every officer to act in such a manner as will inspire the respect as well as-secure the obedience of his men. British soldiers are well ay/aro that they must be prepared to risk their lives at any moment without kiiowing the why and wherefore, but they also know that their lives are of real value in the eyes of their officers, and will not be recklessly thrown away. The loyalty and devotion shown by our men at the front to General French is something very different from the response of a machine to the hand of the operator. It is the natural outcome of a relationship of mutual sympathy and trust between thinking and reasoning human beings. Sir John French treats his men as men. He understands their troubles and hardships and does his best to make things as comfortable for them as the conditions of warfare will permit. This peisonal element must always remain an imnortant factor in war. Men cannot, be. expected to have confidence in leaders who do no; t-boicuirHy know their business; bur,_sjin»nll.'y is almost..is important as irte'lif.onre. -It is the combination of thefe two_ elements which makes the ideal military commander, for it gets the best out of officers and men alike,• and inspires them to endure hardships and face dangers with that resolute determination that makes dffeat almost impossible.