THE WAY IN THE ARMY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 270, 3 August 1918, Page 9

THE WAY IN THE ARMY

SUGGESTIONS FROM SUBORDINATES UNWELCOME. "One is forced to the opinion Hint the military-trained man is slow to accept suggestions from junior officers, and, if compelled to accept them, lie is economical of prnisc," say the Defence Expendituro Commissioners in tlieir report. "Sometimes a portion is taken out of a suggestion lest the junior might think lie had shown more initiatiyo than _ his senior. There seems too little elasticity in military methods; and, if there are two systems in question, one or the other will ijo adopted, but it rarely occurs to Hie military man to adopt a third method by clioosing tlio best out of each of the other two, "It would appear that' a man—in a district, for instance—may bo regarded as a nuisance because some of his suggestions are not practicable; and a recommendation emanating from him may be turned down, not because it is , had, but becauso it happens to come from that person. It would be well if a more judicial frame of mind could be assumed, so that suggestions comiug along would bo treated on their merits, and not as 'piffle , (quotation) because originating from a person lightly regarded or of humbler rank."