NOT ARMY BREACH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21148, 16 July 1943, Page 4

NOT ARMY BREACH

DRINKING TOGETHER OFFICERS AND RANKERS AUSTRALIAN RULING (By Teletrrnr.fi—Press Assn.—Copyrtßfit.} (Special Australian Correspondent.) RUGBY, July 14. Australian military officers, it is understood, will not be brought before courts-martial in future on charges of committing a breach of discipline by drinking with other ranks. Interest has been aroused by a case in which a major was acquitted by a courtmartial on a charge of having drunk intoxicating liquor in public with two non-commissioned officers "to the prejudice of good order and military discipline.” The prosecutor cited the “unwritten law” forbidding such a practice, which was not specifically banned by the King’s Regulations. "The court’s refusal to make a military offence of this 1 incident will be generally approved,” commented the Sydney Sun in an editorial. “There is no ground for any belief that discipline can be prejudiced because, off duty, il may be reasonably relaxed in accord with friendship.”

Several officers .said the decision of the court-martial would meet with the approval of the entire Australian Army. “We hold strongly to the view that the Australian Army is a democratic army,” said one. “In times of peace a man makes many friends and. although in times of war some men are appointed to commissioned rank, that is no reason why earlier friendships should be discouraged. That an attempt should have been made, presumably on high authority, to break down the democratic foundations of our army is not merely to bo regretted but strongly resisted.”