Before we reached the landing-stage Lord Kitchener asked me to get him a sheet of paper. I did so. He then said, “I wish you to publish this Order to-morrow.” Taking his pencil, he wrote as follows:
“To General Gordon. Be good enough to inform the officers, non-commissioned officers and men under your command of my appreciation of the keen interest and great zeal they have shown in carrying out their duties during my lengthy inspection. They are doing well, and it has been a pleasure to me to have been present with them during their period of continuous training.
“(Signed) Kitchener.”
This Order, I knew, of course, would be most acceptable to all concerned. Next day, just previous to their leaving for Melbourne, Captain Fitzgerald, his personal secretary and close friend—who later on, unfortunately, was drowned with him—told me that I should be proud to receive that Order, as he had never known “the Chief” to have issued one in a similar manner before. During his visit he reminded me of the conversation we had in South Africa when I asked Lord Roberts’s and his opinions on my scheme for the Universal Service. He heartily congratulated me on having achieved what then he thought my too ambitious hopes, and assured me he would support the movement heart and soul. This he did, as his report proved.
I think it only fair to the Government of that day to say that they did carry out the whole of his recommendations, and that every one of his suggestions was in force within three years after his visit.
Practically all men of any importance, politicians, business men, working men, one and all enthusiastically helped. A considerable improvement was noticed, not only in the general bearing of the trainees, but what was much more important, in their physical and moral development. The keenness of the lads themselves was proved by the extra time voluntarily devoted by them to receiving instruction to qualify as officers and non-commissioned officers, attending courses of lectures, special parades and rifle matches. The police authorities throughout the Commonwealth were asked to watch carefully and report as to whether, in their opinion, the system was influencing the character of the boys generally, and if so in what directions.
In 1914 reports were received from the police in all the States. They were unanimous in stating that, “in their opinion, the behaviour of the youths who were subjected to the training had vastly improved, and that the principal effects of a beneficial nature were increased self-respect, diminution of juvenile cigarette smoking, ‘larrikinism,’ and generally a tendency towards a sense of responsibility and a desire to become good citizens.”
Wherefore it is seen that the chief aims as laid down in my scheme have been fully realized, namely, to secure:—
(1). A sound mind in a sound body;
(2). A disciplined mind;