SOLDIERS MORE EFFICIENT.

Northern Advocate, 6 October 1913, Page 6

SOLDIERS MORE EFFICIENT.

Mr Harbutt Dawson, in "The Evolu-

tion of Modern Germany," lias something to say which may be of interest to New Zealand anti-militarists.

Here ds a paragraph:—"Regular habits are further confirmed by the

fmiiitary training to which every

young man of full physical and mental capacity is subjected, and which now extends in the case of common soldiers to two years in the infantry and three years in the cavalry. Whatever be the need and value of such service from the national de-

fensive standpoint, the disciplinary

and educative results are by universal testimony most beneficial, while

the spirit of order and the habit of working together with others which

he practises enables the discharged soldier to fit naturally into the high-ly-organised undertakings. If a German manufacturer in close touch with his men—or, better etill, the practical manager of his works—be interrogated on the point, he will invariably answer in words like these: 'Military service makes men of the recruits, and they come back to us far more efficient as workers than when they left. For they learn obedience, discipline, regular habits; they are more alert, quicker to understand, smarter in every way.' 'Ninety-nine per cent, of my men come back to me,' said the manager of a large machine works in Rhinelanfa, 'for I always keep their places open for them, and they are more valuable to me than before.' It is interesting to be told that when on furlough the first thing a soldier does, after visiting his parents, is to go to the factory to see his old foreman and comrades."