THE NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16502, 1 August 1919, Page 3

THE NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS.

A NEW LEAVEN OF DISCIPLINE,

(Specially written for The Press.)

By Liout.-Colonel Claude' Weston, D. 5.0., author of “Three Years with the Now Zealanders.”

While we have had tha privilege, of living through the stirring times of the last few years wo are denied the broad view and the true perspective grunted to the historian of the future. We assume ho will dilate upon tho extraordinary spectacle of a vast Empire indifferent to tlie open preparations of a powerful rival, and, when attacked swiftly and suddenly, realising hut slowly that there was nothing hut the. will of Providence between its pride and destruction. He will perhaps acknowledge the tenacity of its people in forming, training, and equipping huge armies, while the remnants of its regular army held the enemy at its gates. Perhaps, also, he will present a picture to our descendants of the men of the race, girding their loins as they hastened from the Empire's frontiers to its citadel. But what space will onr historian give to the spectacle of those men when the war is over, streaming hack by thousands to their distant homes and to their work ? Koine’s returned soldiers helped in the full of her empire. What part arc bur returned men to play in our history? 1 cannot pretend to any knowledge of the conditions in other countries of the Empire, hut I fee! sure, as far as New Zealand is concerned, their part will he both valuable and honourable to the Dominion. The effect of any event upon a community must he judged" by its effect upon the individuals comprising such community, and it is a, fascinating pursuit to speculate upon the changes wrought in onr boys by their experience, and as to how it will affect them as citizens. Such changes represent the index to the future of New Zealand. The war that has brought in its train so much sorrow and suffering lias compensated oven its victims. While those of our men who return whole with one. two, three, and in some cases four years’ service to their credit, have pained immeasurably, their gains are added assets to the country’s capital. One can only speak generally. Unfortunately, in life there, is a minority which fails, but it is only a minority, and the standard by which results arc measured is given by the majority. In any consideration of fhe subject wc must realise, and, speaking for oneself, one had not realised that the standards of the. army arc the very highest. Everything must be done in the best way. Nothing short of the best is countenanced; and when one discovers that this applies to every detail in the daily life of the soldier, year in and year out, it becomes apparent that the whole tone of a man’s life is raised. Conduct, work, recreation, even dress, are always under critical scrutiny. There is no diffidence on tho part of anyone in authority in drawing attention to failure in reaching the army standard and so, painfully and with much inward rebellion, the man is pulled up the ladder. Further, this moral progress is accompanied by physical development. Discipline and method are not irksome to the New Zealander. Ho is clear-headed enough to see Hint largo bodies of men must work together, and that organised system is necessary for success. He learns that from his national game, hut I fancy ho finds it hard to have to do things that he. thinks immaterial a little hotter than he decides is necessary. However, even disagreeable things become a habit, and now habit keeps his standards high. It stands to reason mir men have been broadened by their experience. Travel and war are wonderful teachers, hut they are broadened in another and perhaps unexpected way. Some, people would say- that a man is seriously luindieapped in his particular profession or occupation in life by being taken away from it for two or three years, but results disprove this theory. A man goes hack to his job after tho long absence with his interest in it keen, and his mental activities awakened. A trade or profession .narrows the working of a man’s brain-cells. Only *a certain number are called into use each day. Tho remainder atrophy, and perhaps affect tho, others. To he, taken into a new sphere is painful at first, hut mental qualities are thereby galvanised into life that the man did not realise ho possessed, and^when he returns it is with increased mental power. He faces life with an added zest. One noticed that the man in hospital, whoso fighting days wore over, looked forward eagerly to starting lus civilian life again, and to making up for the. lost years. Tho man in the trenches did not look forward—sufficient that he was still alive at the moment; hut once the fighting was left behind him for good, his mind turned homewards and to his work. Thorp was no suggestion ot continuing his soldiering at the expense of the Stale. With tho exception, perhaps, of certain divil wars, there has never been such a people’s war as this. The armies have been civilian armies, and in the mind qf many a soldier there lias recurred the dream of his return to his old job and to his “career.” The authorities, too, did not forget their responsibilities to their citizen soldiers. Even in the rush of such a cataclysm, tho man’s education was provided for. In hospitals, in convalescent camps, at the bases, and on troopships, our men have attended classes at which Subjects of general interest and vocational subjects chosen by themselves were taught. Agriculture was the one most sought after, and opportunities of inspecting British stock and fanning methods wore seized. The colonial has an alert, inquisitive mind, and learns easily. Ho is a keen observer, and in addition to a developed character lie brings back a store of special knowledge that will ho valuable to himself and the community. The life in camp and at tho front has made our soldier men infinitely more pleasant to themselves and to others. They are more tolerant, and have a. truer outlook upon life, A feeling of uncertainty as to the wisdom of looking more than a few hours ahead, reduces tho facts of life to Heir real value, and a man discovers that there are many things which do not count for much when all is said and done. Active service makes for unselfishness, and tho member of a mess or platoon that took a merry view of life was cherished in its bosom. Tho presence of this stamp of man by the thousand in New Zealand must leaven our ’national life. The discipline of the country should be better after growing accustomed to tho obedience of tho army, to a confidence that justice will ho obtained by a request through regular channels and to an absence of wirepulling. The returned soldier will meet tho wire-puller, the striker, and the extremist, with almost a feeling of contempt. Ho has acquired a more balanced and logical view of life.

But for Non- Zealundthe most valuable result of tho war is the discovery of its nationhood. The short space of our existence and our very loyally before the war prevented our development. Any thought of separation from tlie Old Country was treason. We were content to remain tho child of its old age, but the war has given ns a new vision of our destiny. Providence has endowed our sons with natural qualities that will place New Zealand in the forefront of the world’s affairs, and our men have learned to appreciate their potentialities. The New Zealander is a modest fellow, and the confidence in himself that ho has gained is only a wholesome self-respect. This confidence, moreover, has created a national idea. W T e arc now a nation with our own destiny to shape, still united in loyalty, and affection, and perhaps more closely than ever, to tho Motherland, but standing stufdily alongsTue and not hesitating when fate ordains to stride before her. As General Godley said in his parting order to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force: “New Zealand, I am convinced, is able and is destined to play a part in the world out of all proportion to her size and population.” This respect for himself and his comrades will remove many a doubt in the New Zealander as to the future of his country. Its people are the men ho has known ana knight with. He will never forget his feeling of security when he lay in reserve behind men of his own country, when his Hanks were protected by them, and when New Zealand batteries supported him. Ho knows their steadiness, discipline, resource, and although they may make their mistakes, they will m the future he guided by reason and self-control for the good of their country. What lessons can we learn from the returned soldier? Does he teach tis anything for tffe benefit of our children or of Now Zealand ? I think what impresses one most is the good wc shall ho doing the country if wc continue to expand our system of military training. Wo all know tho value wc have received during tho war from our territorial organisation founded by Lord Kitchener in 1911, hut 1 think wc should go further and insist that onr youngsters on attaining manhood go into barracks fob 1 2 months at least. You can teach a New Zealander to he a. soldier in six months, hut twice that period is little enough in which to teach him national ideals and esprit de corps. Ho would benefit mentally and physically, and, in spite of what the Council of Churches decided a few weeks ago, 1 say morally also. 'The modern general develops the moral qualities of his troops first. Their mental and physical faculties come next. I doubt whether wo shall over ho a nation of militarists. The Britisher as a rule minds his own business, and that alone tends to keep him from aggression, hut wo must ho prepared. And yet I do not advocate 12 months in barracks with the primary purpose of being prepared for war. We want a disciplined people. Tho advantages of being a nation of trained soldiers arc great. The advantages of being a nation of trained citizens arc greater.