Therstreet General.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 10 December 1915, Page 3

Therstreet General.

It is rtßer amusing nowadays when travelling in the train, to hear the opinions given on the conduct of the War. The quiet observer cannot but be struck by the great amount of military talent which is going to waste in this country. At any wayside station you pick up men who, in their own opinion, are able to command an army, conduct a campaign or even assume the whole conduct of the War. You hear then expatiating on the mistakes made by our Generals and the shortcomings of the WarOffice, and frequently one hears them say what they would have done if they had had the direction of affairs. They say they would never have allowed the Germans into Servia, that the Dardanelles Campaign was mismanaged, that if they had been in charge, the Germans would have been out of Belgium long ago, and that if the Fleet were only commanded by them, the German Fleet would have been rooted out of Kiel Canal long ago. And yet these men are content to stay at home and mine coal, milk cows, drive pens and do various other un warlike things. If for no other reason than to get these men into the army where they could use their undoubted (by them) talents, conscription should be welcomed by all. It is remarkable, also, that these talented men often find people foolish enough to argue with them, and railway travel is made much more wearisome than it need be by the endless discussions of these warlike people who don’t go to the War. Sometimes, of course, the nuisance is quietly sat upon, but as a rule, he gets a fairly good run. It should be made a penal offence for any man to gratuitously give his opinion on military operations which are taking place on the other side of the world, and which he is in no position to understand. Then and not till then will thojtraveller find the peace he is entitled to.