The English Officer
(extract from the Russian newspaper "Odessa News")
The English Officer is least of all an Officer. He is a rich landowner, house owner, capitalist or merchant and only an Officer incidentally.
He knows absolutely nothing about the Services and is only seen on parades and revues. From the professional point of view he is the most ignorant Officer in Europe. He enters the Services, not to serve, but for the uniform, which is magnificent.
He considers himself to be irresistible to the fair-haired, blue-eyed, English ladies. The English Officer is a beautiful aristocrat, extremely rich, an independent sybarite and epicure. He has a spoilt, capricious and blasé character and loves pornographic literature, suggestive pictures, recherché food and strong drink.
His chief amusements are gambling, racing and sports. He goes to bed at dawn and gets up at midday. He is usually occupied with two mistresses simultaneously, one a lady of high society and the other a girl from the opera or ballet.
His income runs into several thousands, often tens of thousands a year, of which he keeps no account. The pay he receives from the Government hardly suffices to keep him in scent and gloves.
English Officers, especially the young ones, do no work of any kind. They spend their days and nights in clubs noted for their opulence.
Now that is what an officer should be.
