The San Francisco call., 1898-06-13
OFFICERS FOR THE VOLUNTEER
 ARMY.

/ AT 1<11N Jah1ES A. fAkhEN, U. D. A., Dc- N gins an article III the current number of the North American Review on "The Oflcering and Arming of Volunteers with the statement: The most important detail perhaps in connection with the organization of volunteer troops is the development, selection and appointment of their officers
 To this statement there is hardly likely to be any objection Strength, courage and patriotism furnish sufficient basis for the rank and file of army If the men well led The duties of private rapidly learned where the mind is quick and the heart willing The officer of army in modern warfare, however, requires something more than these ordinary quail ties of young manhood There is needed special training fit him for the performance of the complex responsibilities resting upon him, and if he lacks that training his whole command suffers and the evil is far-reaching.
 The situation of the United States Is such that the maintenance of a large standing army at all times would be economic blunder. Our wars are infre- quent and never in immediate danger of inva- sion. We will in the future, as in the past rely upon volunteers raised when begins fight battles
 for us, and it is, therefore imperative that should arrange means of providing them with officers fitted to command them to advantage, to hold their confidence and to make the best use of them in every emergency.
 Captain Parker suggests three sources from which obtain trained officers for large volunteer army We are ever likely to need. These sources are the military academy, the regular army and the National Guard As present constituted neither of these, all of them combined suffice the demand for officers. Further development Is needed in all of them and the most interesting portions of Captain Parkers article those containing suggestions of the by which that development can be ob- tained.
 di1cr %O ttac {ta d,of. 0f tary Academy makes the best officer, and he proposes the establishment of two such academies in addition to the West Point that the number of cadets could be increased from 37I, authorized by law to 22oo This proposition is not wholly Some years ago movement made in Congress to ma teriay increase the number of cadets and to establish military academy somewhere in the West to relieve the strain West Point Nothing came of the pro ject at the tne but it is than likely may be taken up again. Certainly military academy on the Pacific Coast near to San Francisco as West Point is to New York would not be bad enterprise on the part of the Government.
 The suggestions as to the expediency of obtaining volunteer officers from the regular army are capable Of being carried once and therefore of more practical value than that regarding the increase of mil itary academies. A large proportion of the non commissioned officers of the regulars are highly in- telgent men and have during their service received a thorough military training. By encouraging these men to further military studies and by subectng them to practical and theoretical examination it would be possible for the War Department to form corps from which efficient officers for volunteer troops could be drawn whenever the emergency required
 To make the National Guard reliable school for officers would require many changes in the present system. In of the States the changes would amount to a virtual revolution. They could be ef- fected only by complete supervision the part of the War Department, and willingness the part of the States to cooperate. The three sources combined however, would certainly furnish all the officers we need and would enable us if necessary to put half million in the field under leadership capable of handling them