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Show m THE GOOD OFFICER. H ? i!t is sui'l"sing how big some men feel when they get m o be corporals or sergeants. They swell around as if H fnVJT ffenerals' $ issue orde not so much to get H SJTA08 l? diSplay their authori ad enjoygft fl InS i vfc ai ound a,ca-nil) and will scarcely speak to pri M Tate soldiers, even if former neighbors and friends, are 1 now a lower order of being. It should be one of the benefits bene-fits of the officers training camps that this type of man has been largely weeded out. The qualities that make a good military officer are not common and it is an inborn gift. The soldiers for the good of all, have learned to submit their individual wills. Many times they are called upon to do things that seem poor judgment to them, but it is theirs to obey and not to question. Where the individual will and judgment is thus subordinated sub-ordinated to one man or group of men, the commanders need a very special endowment of judgment and good feeling in order not to abuse their extraordinary power. If they must assert their superiority of judgment, that superiority must be manifest or the officer will obviously be unfitted for his responsibility. The competent officer does more than issue orders. He should be a student of the capacities and the condition condi-tion of his men, and protect them from such weaknesses as may interfere with their usefulness. If soldiers can feel that they are being watchfully looked after, they will go a great way in personal daring and endurance to please their superiors. Some accentrici-ties accentrici-ties of manner on the part of commanders will be tolerated toler-ated and strict discipline will be accepted. Many of the soldiers are reckless young fellows with little thought of their health and little experience in caring for thmselves. The officers should watch over them as a father does over his boys. If this is done the morale of a figtiting force can be greatly improved. |