OUR FIGHTING MACHINE

Observer, Volume XXIX, Issue 41, 26 June 1909, Page 2

OUR FIGHTING MACHINE

Where Are Its Brains to Come From ?

IT is worth while for the National Defence League to consider whether it is not desirable to direct its energies into a new channel. The present campaign in favour of training of the masses in the rudiments of military matters is rather like beating the air. It is addressed to a public that needs no convincing. Mr McNab'a stumping campaign has proved that there is an astonishing degree of general agreement to the proposition that to make this country secure against the enemies of the Empire it is necessary that the younger portion of its inhabitants should be trained in the essentials of drill, and learn to draw a bead along a rifle sight Such opposition as there is comes from a few cranks who need not be considered.* All that remains on that po^nt is for Parliament to- go ahead and enact formally what is already agreed to with almost the certainty of a referendum vote.

This doesn't mean, however, that there ia no work left; to be dove by J; C. Maoky, and B. M. Hackett, and John Fawoas, and their new convert,

Mrs Emily Niool. The assent, of the public to the formation 'of their y bung people into an' army of national defence is only half the battle. The most important part consists in getting that army trained after it is en* rolled. And to that end it is necessary to provide for a supply of capable officers. The body .without braiusT would be rather a source of danger than of safety. In this very question the Defence Leaguers* or whoever has the maturing of the national army scheme, have a tough problem to face. For in the experience. of the now out-of-date volunteer force the officers have always been the weak -link in the chain, and they will continue so still unless a proper system of training is put into operation.. .:

Observe the. methods of the volunteer officers on any field day, and one' must tremble at the unhappy fate that would befall the men under- their command if ever they had to handle them in actual warfare. The fault does, not lie with the officers themselves. They, as a rule, are zealous enough, but they lack experience and proper training. Beyond putting their corps thfough a few company movements in the drillhall, they have little opportunity of practising the class of 'work that would fall to their share if ever those corps were called out for serious work. Before we have officers of real value there will have to be a re-modelling of the system under which they gain their commissions, by the introduction l of more practical work than of the "swotting "of drill books into their examinations. The day of the theoretical soldier is past. The national defender of the future will have to be a thoroughly practical person.

What will constitute the training of an officer of the national defenders, when we get the universal training system into operation?. There is now in New Zealand an officer of the InH perial service who has had wide experience in the' raising and training and directing of irregular forces in South Africa, and the advice which he gave on the question when in Auckland is pregnant with interest. It ia satisfactory to hear from so good an authority that men of the stamp of intelligence of the colonial settlers and townspeople can be easily licked into shape for the ranks in even three or four weeks' training. Bat what as to the officers? Ah, there's the rub. He estimates that officers -cannot be expected to acquire the knowledge requisite for their responsibilities in less than six months. Still, given that amount of practice in the handling of their companies, principally in field work, men of the colonial type would qualify themselves for all that would be required of them.

The point to be insisted upon is that while the training of the rank and file can. be accomplished by a short period of field work in the course of the year, and can even be brushed up in case of emergency in the course of a few weeks, we must, in order to provide for emergencies, have a sufficient reserve of officers always at call, to form the nucleus 'of a defending army. It is upon them rather than upon the men that the organisation of a defence force depends, and to them more than to the enrolment of the rank/ and file that attention needs principally to be given. It ought not to be difficult to get a rota of ambitious and capable young men in every centre ready to embark upon the necessary course of training.

Fpr this training in the handling of bodies of men it is not necessary that the officers should be permanently assigned to companies'. Eight or ten or twenty officers could practice upon one company, and could in tarn take their place in the ranks, and profit by the mistakes of their fellow student' officers. But as there is already sufficient evidence of enthusiasm in favour of the general enrolment of citizens as fighting machines, the work of the Defence Leagues should go in the direction of stirring up the patriotism of the class of men who are capable of becoming the brains of; the fighting . machine of the future, rather than in beating a dead hone, as their present^' - agitation appears to be. v v : /.f; v^^-^