used to cultivate a spirit of hatred in our lads whilst training will make many of the old soldiers amongst your readers question whether the 21year-old lieut.-colonel mentioned has ever led men into action or engaged in hand-to-hand fighting.
You can go into any British Legion club and hear stories of the men who never fought in the last war, but who were engaged throughout in training others to fight for them. The system which your correspondent rightly deplores is so characteristic of the unrealistic approach that obtains not only in regard to front line fighting, but also in regard to hack line production, and all the Intervening stages involving human co-operation.
As long as a man is taught how to use a rifle and bayonet and understands what they are for, it is all that is required—the spirit required to use them effectively will come to his aid as and when he is face to face with the foe. It was a revelation to an erstwhile pacifist to realise for the first time the emotions that surged through One under the crucial test. There is enough evidence of the legacy of Adam without cultivating such emotions by artificial means, and no father who has fought himself can fail to be disgusted at the methods employed in training our sons. If we had more consideration for the humanities, we might leave efficiency to take care of itself—and still win. Encouraged by your recent article on the five miracles of this war, one hopes and prays that God may yet save us—in spite of ourselves!
W. J. TULL.
96, Knightsway, Whitkirk, Halton, Leeds.