Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1917 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V TRAINING PRIVATES FOR MINIMUM ESSENTIALS Privates are indispensable. Moreover, every prj vate is a potential leader. If the flagbearer falls some one else must take his place. Today's private becomes tomorrow's leader. Captains of industry who seem to be carrying the burden of business affecting whole continents die or retire without a ripple of apparent inconvenience. Mr. Rockefeller gave up active business but the Standard Oil Company went on. Mr. Carnegie gave up active business but the manufacturing of steel went on. Great railroad promoters like James J. Hill and E. H. Harriman died--for one hour on the day of their funerals every engine stopped in memory of the master builder--then the engines started to do more and better business under new leaders. The law of progress is such that successors almost always improve upon the work of predecessors. With few exceptions the understudy finally surpasses his preceptor. The traditional way of expressing this is: The king is dead, long live the king. The basic training for privates is the same as that for corporals, sergeants, lieutenants, captains and generals. Seldom does one rise to higher ranks in military or business fields without having excelled in those services which constitute the minimum essentials of the private. Seldom have armies or businesses succeeded where privates did not excel. It ought to be made impossible in education for persons to fill generalships until they have excelled as privates in the minimum essentials for their rank. No nation and no business will ever want for leaders and guides whose privates are well trained in the minimum essentials of their service. If overnight we were to forget how to train anybody but privates and should remember how to...