The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-17
If WE NEED MORE OFFICERS
Volunteers Should Have a Chance to
Enter Regular Army.

NNd) IlSpdlCH.f
The annual report of the Board of Visit
ors of the United States Military Acad-
envy at West Point, just made public, re-
news the old recommendations that the
number of cadets be increased. The board
urges that the President be permitted to
appoint twenty cadets and each senator in
Congress one.
most opportune for its adoption. Congress
is now ready to do almost anything that
is suggested by military men, en- howe s,,a
bill to pass at the present session OF
Congress. 1t will doubtless be drafted, pre-
scented and referred. AT the winter session
it can be discussed much more intelligently
than al present.
That the present law affords the means
of furnishing all the officers the regular
army (as now constituted) needs no one
can doubt. And when this war is over we
trust it will be the pleasure of the Presl-
regular army many young volunteer ON
GERS who have proved their fitness for COM
mand by actual service in the field.
But, of course, If ours is to be shoulder
strapped Republic we shall have to have an
enormous regular army. The more regi-
ments and battalions we have, the more
need for officers there will be- In that
event, not even the boards recommendation
will furnish enough. Our own idea IS that
pacity of West Point as an officer-producing
establishment, but we ought so to legislate
as to make our volunteer service an avenue
for reaching commissions in the regular
army at all times.
If we hold out as an incentive to our vol
unteers that by studiousness, good conduct
and display of all SOldief-like qualities they
may possibly obtain commissions in the
regular service, we shall give the National
Guard the greatest boom that it ever has
would then enlist in his home company and
enter heartily into its work-yes, even II
there were but one chance in several hun
dred that he might get regular officer s
commission. The provisions of law that now
exist do not meet this question properly;
they do not hold out the hearty invitation
that they ought
The Dispatch has not the slightest purpose
of disparaging the training given at west
Point Far from it. We consider it an in,
comparably excellent military school. And
we would make it even better than 1t Is.
At the same time, we are or the opinion
that we can secure valuable officers now
and then outside of the list Of its matricu-
lates.
Under a proper law, and with whole
some public sentiment to support IT, our
turn out a considerable number of highly
qualified army officers. The volunteers nave
done so when opportunity offered in the
past much better could they do so in the
future, under a law designed to stimulate
their young officers to prepare for reason
able examinations, preliminary to receiving
It is to be hoped Congress will be very
vigilant in examining all measures proposed
that look to changing our government into
shoulder-strapped Republic.
If there is to be such a change in the
character OF our government, the RepuD-
ican party will have the formation of our
military establishments to very large ex-
tent AS is we'll known, that party is not to
be baked in any of its aims by the teach
ings and traditions of the patriot fathers.
OF course, we would expect it to use its
power to reward as many of its supporters
as possible. Partisan as we own TO being,
we do not charge that no other considera-
ton would guide the Republicans; but we
do think we are justified in believing they
would take care Of their own in the future,
as in the past.
We dislike to think of miitarism and inn
perialism in connection with our federal
government, but events are rapidly shaping
themselves which compel us to consider a
change not only as a possibility. but as
probability. If come it must; If the passion
for territorial expansion outweighs every
other considerations if we are to have a big
standing army, let US at least provide that
our volunteer organizations shall be en-
couraged to furnish some of the hundreds
of new officers that will be required This
they can do with credit TO themselves and
with benefit to the country at large.