The Daily News WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7. ASIATICS ADVISE ANGLOSAXONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8046, 7 February 1906, Page 2

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7. ASIATICS ADVISE ANGLOSAXONS.

Oub wide awake and enterprising allies, the Japanese, are beginning to feel their feet. Formerly they were willing to learn from us. A t present, if thecible is to be believed, tliey are willing to teach the British nation its duty as an ally of Japan. The question asked by the Japanese is extremely pertinent. A Japanese statesman points out that Japan increased her army because of the alliance of the two nations, and asks, in a pained voice, why John Bull doesn't come up to scratch and make bis army something better tlwn a plaything. John Bull, ever since he has had a small organised army, has been going to re-organise it, and place it on a war-footing. Whenever these vigorous measures have been proposed, John Bull has changed the number of buttons on the cutis of the Grenadiers, or has taken away a useful army cap and substituted a useless one.

When Tommy Atkins is beginning to learn to shoot badly with one kind of rifle, the Army Council, run by a royal duke, thinks it is time to give him a rifle with which he can't shoot, at nil. The British soldier, in the bulk, lifts never been able to shoot well, and lie regards a rilleasaclmuk of ironmongery that is chiefly useful to do things in the acrobatic line that don't matter in the least. It is a curious fact that " Tommy " doesn't call fighting " soldiering," What lie designates as " soldiering " is cleaning batons and pipe-claying belts and brushing uniforms. The keen, though impertinent Japs, know this very well. The dap army is not a social, button-cleaning organisation Every man in the army is a patential •stnitegirtii.

Tin; noblemen of Japan go into the uinta of the army, and learn the whole- business, from doing kitchen fatigue to planning aeoinpaign. The ollicev in the Rritish Aruiy who is ridiculous enough to show that- lie wants to iearn his profession, is usually " ragged," and is oftentimes simply diivon out of the army, or to suicide. Remember the " ranker," Hector Mcdonald ? The fact that junior ollicers in t.he British Army know as much about their profession as an animal ki.ows about foatbill, is a very potent reason for the disasters that t'litisli arms blunder into in various parts of the worl : . Now, as always, the British oltieer is the bsst, fighting mm (in its mere combative sense) in the world, and the Piritish " Tommy " will die as cheerfully as he lives. But we don't want, liim to die—killed of impotence. Lord Hob erts, apart from bis predilection to "class" in the army, in -illof t,he highest authorities on army matters in the Empire. He has begged for funds for the purpose. He wanted £100,009. Ho has not succeeded in getting £2OOO, Britain is apathetic. It thinks the navy will see it through in time of trouble. The navy certainly helped in Africa, but it had to go ashore to do it. A man is just as dead who is shot by a frpwsv young Dutchman, aged twelve, as he is when he is cut down by a general weaving a thousand pounds' worth of uniform and a gold-liilted sword.

Tiie talk of the democrati.sation of the army that was heard so much about after the African business stirred the monocled dandies of the army to effort. A good many British soldiers from the ranks were oil'ered commissions. So were a large number of colonial soldiers. With very few exceptions—the exceptions being the sons of wealthy parents—those colonial officers are again in civilian life, the social pace and the expense of the service being too fast and too great for limited means. The army does not want men who will learn the business of scientific man-slaying. I t wants men who will look well in the drawing-room, who have plenty of money to lose at bridge, who can afford huge mess subscriptions, regimental subscriptions, polo ponies, hunters, and, lastly, chargers. Young officers on active service frequently malinger in order to be sent to rest depots, where there is a good polo club, or the "smart set" is in residence. Before 1/jrd Kitchener took the ribbons iu the South African war the officers of the entire army were much more concerned how to amuse themselves than to knock out the enemy. And from a purely scientific point of view they didn't know hoiv to knock him out when he strolled across their path. They bumped him brainlessly, and with huge courage unless there was a polo match on.

Business men of iirituin, taken out of their warehouses and shops, ami made junior officers on the spot, would fill the positions in the field with more credit than the " cnrlod darlings" of the aristocracy, who learn the art of war by playing bridge aud shooting partridges. Out the army won't have business men. It wants dukes. The youngster who is going into the army at Home, doesn't enquire what regiment- is most likely to give him the best insight into the

work he is really created to learn. lie wants to know which is the " crack " corps, and which has the richest men and the most titles. Every man in fair health is a lighting man, He will defend himself if ho lias to The raw recruit, under efficient guidance, is the equal of the tried veteran, liritaiu wants that guidance. Making the troops wear Brodeiick caps isn't going to make the army equal in efficiency to the Japanese army, which is a lighting machine, and nothing more. Although the present Premier of lii'itain is distinctly averse to militarism, it is likely that his Ministry will be more democratically inclined than the Tory (loverninent that has ceased to exist. Perhaps ability, and not " blue blood," will some dnv be the means of qunlifying for a commission in an army that more than anything requires ability.