BRITAIN IN WAR TIME.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1918, Page 7

BRITAIN IN WAR TIME.

SIDELIGHTS ON SLING. -4 RED TAPE IN THE ARMS'. HOW THE WOMEN WORK. A New Zealand soldier writes from an English hospital as follows:—There is only one industry here in England, and that is the making of war. The minds of everybody and the hands of most men, women, and even children are occupied with war. It is staggering when one first comes in contact with this war spirit. When our reinforcements landed we were taken ashore in tenders. The tenders were moored by men of 60 and upwards. At first it was amusing, but. soon we felt the solemnity of the fact that this task of berthing was being performed by men who were old enough to be our grandfathers. Ashore, we formed up for en training, and we got our next surprise. A convoy of wounded had arrived from France. Ambulance after ambulance came up in quick succession, and was skilfully manoeuvred into position. Every driver was of the fair sex,- and very fair members of the fair sex they were. Metaphorically we took off our hate. Further along, ladies entertained us to tea —without sugar—and buns. Girls in charge of refreshment "barrowia :w\ere found at the large stations; we saw gin carriage cleaners, lady porters pushing heavy trucks, and lady ticket-Collectors. We began to feel that Ave were getting somewhere near that mysterious place called "the front" at last. TRAINING METHODS AT SLING. We were soon introduced to the Sling method. It is short, sharp, and effective, but in the retrospect there is much that can be criticised. However, a Sling warrant officer took us in charge, and when we rather clumsily executed a manoeuvre which we had not performed for three months, he told us sarcastically that we were "no longer sheep." I think that statement could be questioned. Meantime joyful demons called out "They'll shake the tar out of you." Well, we did get it rather in the neck, because we were to be reviewed with the remainder of the brigade by the Duke of Connaught in three days. The Sling non-commis-i sioned officers ran us off our feet. Foi i two days we did about 18 hours' work [between reveille and lights-out. We were drawn tip on parade, right-dressed, inspected, and re-inspected, packs up. We were made to stand at attention for 10 minutes on end, wc had to stand at ease, but motionless, for apparently interminable periods ad nauseam. And then came the review. 'Miracles had been wrought. Everyman stood erect, motionless, soldierly, rank on rank, line on line were as clearly defined as the lines in a geometrical drawing. It was a sight to make the most unemotional swell with pride. If only the mothers, fathers, wives, sweethearts, sisters, and all those who wait at homo with straining hearts could see their splendid soldier boys in review order as I have seen.them they would well-nigh burst with, pride. lam sure that no part of the Empire can show a finer stamp of physical manhood than is to be seen in any body of New Zealand troops THE NEW ZEALAND SYSTEM. There is something in the air he-o which makes all our men warlike. They put their hacks into the business here. In New Zealand, the majority are halthearted. Mind you they learn a lot in New Zealand. The only pity is that so much time is wasted there in fatigues, guards, and through a certain amount ol muddling in the work programme*. Nevertheless, as far as soldierliness goes, troops leaving New Zealand are a poor specimen. Sling works the transformation. It could not do what it does in the time except for what the men are taught in New Zealand. I think it is safe to say that during the first three days the majority of the men are positively depressed. We soon g;s used to Sling, though, and in a week ar j happy. The work programmes are carried through without hitch, without delay. Meals, ample meals, are. ready to the minute.

There are two complaints which may be made seriously about the.Sling training: There is too much theory and too many petty restrictions. At the front, the prime essentials are a hardy physique and the power to dig rapiftiy. Personally, I never handled a spade until I helped to dig in before Passchendaele under shell-fire.

There is not sufficient attention paid to the development of strength and endurance in the training. Hence, when men are given a 10-mile march, 001b up, scores fall out. A day carrying wounded knocks the reinforcement soldier right out, unl«ss he be naturally powerful. THEORY AND PRACTICE. The duties of a corporal are to work like the men, lead his section in action and apportion their rations. The duties of a eergeant are to see to the needs of the platoon, generally instruct his section ■ leaders as to' their duties and apportion the respective section's rations to the corporals. Any ordinarily intelligent experienced private can do the active service work of an N.C.0., if he be given opportunity. But to pass the N.C.O.'a examination at Sling one must learn all sorts of theory much of it appertaining to the sphere of a major, or even a colonel, and when he gets to the front he does not know how to dig rapidly and has not the stamina to do heavy fatigues The private soldier, indeed, is better off in the latter respect, but even he is hindered with theory. That's how we win the war! Another way U to have saluting patrols three miles in the rear of the firing line taking the names of men failing to salute officers. Another important part of the trainm, and encouragement of the British soldier, especially the New Zealand soldier, is tr. detail special police in London to see thai the man just back from the trenches does not put his hand in his pocket or fail to salute the officer whose daily labors keep him attached to the pay office or the records department. It is well known that the soldier on leave in London must be especially careful about saluting when in the neighborhood of staff offices, or he may be arrested and his leave cancelled. FEELINGS OF RESENTMENT. There is a growing bitterness among the troops against the miserable insistence on red tape punctiliousness ana what 6eems like a determined effort to build up an officer caste and to destroy the democratic spirit of the armies. 1 am really serious in saying this, and the New Zealand authorities seem to he tht strongest and most conscientious supporters of the system. It has been atatwi in orders that wounded men able

to salute will not be evcused any neglect to comply with the regulation. That means men with an arm in a slin:>. with wounded hands or shoulders, in fact, any walking case. It has been insisted that it is only polite for soldiers to oll'er their seats in trains or trams to officers who may be standing. All this is in contradiction to the active service spirit and war conditions. The red tape spirit seems to seek to interfere with the soldiers leisure everywhere, in Sling, church parade is made so much a matter of drill that it takes up the whole morning, and destroys the character e? the services. There is a New Zealand Club in Salisbury, but so little leave is granted New Zealand soldiers that the club exists practically for Australians, the New Zealanders being confined to a five-mile radius. An old soldier was telling me yesterday of a guard of four men, which was appointed for ceremony's sake in France. Its sole duties were to walk about before headquarters and salute the colonel When the guard was changed a band of about 30 men played suitable selections, and the old guard marched ayay, led by the band—four men! That 19 the kind of thing that is going to make the army unpopular after the war, and many who, no doubt, would have considered the army as a profession, will be deterred.