CONSCRIPT SERVICE
Stn,---In your issue of October 8th, " Sergeant " of Singapore complains that the response of 75 per cent, of his fellows (mostly national conscripts) to all attempts to lure them to an Education Centre is to " charp," i.e., to lie on their beds or charpoys. He further states that these bed-wallahs are even too lazy to take part in " organised sport." Their chief interest is, he adds, "counting the days to their demobilisation." In despair, therefore, he is on the point of giving up any attempt to widen the outlook of " these people," and asks what is wrong with all members of the Services.
I will pass quickly over the sergeant's apparent unawareness of the use of " chart)" (from the Indian charpoy) by the troops in India and else- where in the East for donkey's years ; the inherent dislike of all servicemen for the term "organised sport" (the wrong name for the right thing); his snobbish classification of " these people " (et hoc genus omne), and his apparent ignorance of the time-honoured and perennial overseas pastime of " counting the days to the boat." The " what is wrong " query, however, deserves more serious attention. No education and no sport. Consequently, no mens sana in corpore sano. What a grim outlook, therefore, for the future of the country which may depend on men like these. Is there a remedy, and, if so, what is it ?
If men in the Services overseas will not take an interest in sport, there are one, or all, of three things which require attention: (a) Soffident food—to provide the necessary stamina in an eastern climate. (b) Ineth,lent or inexperienced sports officers. Here, the remedy is obvious. (c) Lack of interest in the sporting proclivities of the men by their officers. By interest I mean INTEREST, and so does any officer who fully understands the job of man-management.
If the men cannot be lured to the Education Centre, there are also three matters which require attention: (a) The Staff. If the sergeant's letter is indicative of the mentality and outlook of service educational instructors of N.C.O. rank, small wonder the Education Centres are empty. Even conscripts are wise in their way. Can it be that they have a wrong type of instructor ? And know it ? (b) The Education Centre and the Programme of Studies. Even the most hardened charpoy addict will sit up and take notice if the Centre and its programme is so contrived as to appeal to those for whom it is intended. This is an art in itself. (c) The mind of the serviceman. To begin with, they all remember with a certain bitterness their boyhood education and its blatant or benign pacifist tendency. Where has it led them? To a charpoy in Singapore at the end of a mighty European holocaust. Widen their outlook, forsooth! They were caught once by wistful or wishful thinking. Never again!
Finally, I do not think that there is anything fundamentally wrong with the present-day British serviceman. If there is, in fact, any matter which does require attention, either with regard to further education or activities on the sports field, I have tried to indicate, in the light of my long experience, in what direction the remedies should be sought.—Yours,
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