Between the devil and the deep blue sea - University of Canterbury

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saluting was either promoted as an extremely necessary part of the military institution or as
the inane enforcement of respect by a power-hungry military hierarchy. 145 Socialist
newspapers proclaimed saluting was anti-democratic and reinforced class differences, while
supporters of saluting stressed its use for maintaining order, discipline and camaraderie. 146
The issue reached the parliamentary level in May 1917, when one member, J. E. W. Duys,
tabled a motion to do away with saluting altogether. Due to the fiasco surrounding the
Minister of War, Nicolaas Bosboom, the motion did not come to order at that time.
Bosboom's resignation took precedence. But the motion was re-issued in February 1918,
when it was voted out by a majority of 41 to 31.147 In November, the govemmental enquiry
into the Harskamp mutiny also investigated whether saluting had become superfluous or
not. 148 That something seemingly so fundamental to military order could be subject to
parliamentary debate and a ministerial investigation, clearly indicates the widening chasm
of misunderstanding between civilians and the military. It is unlikely that in the militarised
societies of France, Germany or Great Britain, a similar public debate could have occurred.
A vital qualifier must be added at this point. It would be completely erroneous to
assume that in 1918, Dutch conscripts were close to widespread insubordination. The
average soldier, despite his low morale, dissatisfaction and ready criticism of military
authority, continued to do his duty. He served at the borders, participated in exercises,
trained, followed orders and even saluted (when necessary). The riots in 1915 and 1918,
even the Harskamp uprising, usually involved a minority of troops in a clearly defined area
who were severely disgruntled about a patiicular aspect of their military service. There was
no revolutionary spirit in the Dutch armed forces, nor were they at the point of intemal
collapse. Yet having said this, there was a culture underlying the mobilisation that was
increasingly negative towards military service. This negativity found expression in a variety
of ways. It gave the impression of an atmosphere of widespread dissension, which was
145 C. J. G. L. van den Berg van Saparoea, De Militaire Graet in het Openbaar. [The military salute in public] Baarn:
Hollandia-Drukkerij, 1917; C. J. G. L. van den Berg van Saparoea, "De Militaire groet in het openbaar" [The military
salute in public] Militaire Spectator. 87, 1918, pp. 294 - 298; J. van de Kieft, De Strijd vaal' de Belangen del'
Gemobiliseerden. [The fight for the interests ofthe mobilised] Amsterdam: Boekhandel en Uitgevers Mij.
"Ontwikkeling", 1918, pp. 18 - 20; Jong, Notifies van een landstormman pp. 199 - 200.
146 Commander-in-Chief, "Nota over den militairen groet" [Note about the military salute] 4 May 1917, in ARA,
"Archieven van de Generale Star' entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no. 4.
147 Wal (ed.), Herinneringen van Jhr. Mr. B. C. de Jonge p. 38.
148 SMG/DC, "Verslag van de Commissie tot onderzoek naar de ontevredenheid in het Leger. Alg. Landsdrukkerij,
1919" 91A1-, pp. 41 - 42.