Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/389

 your own slender financial resources. You will frequently spend your own money to conserve the health and well being of your men or to assist them when in trouble. Generally you get your money back. Very frequently you must charge it to profit and loss.

When 1 say that paternalism is essential to leadership I use the term in its better sense. 1 do not now refer to that form of paternalism which robs men of initiative, self-reliance and self-respect. I refer to the paternalism that manifests itself in a watchful case for the comfort and welfare of those in your charge. Soldiers are much like children. You must see that they have shelter, food and clothing, the best that your utmost efforts can provide. You must see that they have food to eat before you think of your ow^n; that they have each as good a bed as can be provided before you consider w^here you w^ill sleep. You must be far more solicitous of their comfort than of your ow^n. You must look after their health. You must conserve their strength by not demanding needless exertion or useless labor. And by doing all these things you are breathing into life what would otherwise be a man machine. You are creating a soul in your organization that will make the mass respond to you as though it w^ere one man. And that is esprit. And when your organization has this esprit you w^ill w^ake up some morning and discover that the tables have been turned; that instead of your constantly look- ing out for them, they have, w^ithout even a hint from you, taken up the task of looking out for you. You w^ill find that a detail is always there to see that your tent, if you have one, is promptly pitched ; that the most and the cleanest bedding is brought to your tent; that from some mysterious source two eggs have been added to your supper when no one else had any; that an extra man is helping your stryker to give your horse a super-grooming; that your w^ishes are anticipated; that every man is "Johnny on the spot." And then you have arrived.

Fairness is another element without which leadership can neither be built up nor maintained. There must be, first, that fairness which treats all men justly. I do not say alike, for you cannot treat all men -that would be assuming that all men are cut from the same that there is no such thing as individuality or a personal equa- You cannot treat all men alike; a punishment that would be dis- missed by one man w^ith a shrug of the shoulders is mental anguish for another. A company commander w^ho for a given offense has a standard punishment that applies to all is either too indolent or too stupid to study the personality of his men. In his case justice is certainly blind. Study your men as carefully as a surgeon studies a difficult case. And when you are sure of your diagnosis, apply the remedy. And remember that you apply the remedy to effect a cure; not merely to see the victim squirm. It may be necessary to cut deep; but when you are satisfied as to your diagnosis don't be diverted from your purpose by any false sympathy for the patient.

Hand in hand with fairness in awarding punishment walks fairness in giving credit. Everybody hates a human hog. When any one of your men has accomplished an especially creditable piece of work see that he gets his proper rew^ard.

Turn heaven and earth upside down to get it for him. Don't try to take it away from him and hog it for yourself. You may do this and get away w^ith it, but you have lost the respect and loyalty of your men. Sooner or later, your brother officers will hear of it and shun you like a leper. In w^ar there is glory enough for all. Give the man under you his due. The man w^ho alw^ays takes and never gives is not a leader. He is a parasite.

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