The evening times., 1899-07-07
FRIDAY, JULY Z, 1899.
A Magnificent opportunity.

A Magnificent Opportunity.
Underlying all well-organized and ell
cient military establishments there are
two inter-dependent basic principles al
fecting the private soldier-the man be-
hind the gun. One is his obligation TO
obey the orders of his superior ofhcers 10
the letter and without question The
other is his right 10 intelligent dlrectloh'
The obligation is imposed by statute ana
supported by military spirit. The right IS
inherent and sustained by common justice.
In the official composition OF the new
volunteer regiments thus far announced
the Administration has proceeded Win
proper regard for The right Of the man be-
hind the gun. Judged by the rue OF aver
ages. the new regiments viii be lnie.ll-
gently administered. We do not doubt
the capacity of the regular army officers
appointed to command them. But their
duties pertain more TO general admins
tration than to management OF detail
Without the aid OF properly equipped sub
ordinates commanding officers cannot
bring their commands up TO high de-
gree Of efficiency. The soldier must be
properly clothed and properly fed while
being transformed from an indiy dual into
a machine. This cannot be done unless a
practical order OF talent is put in charge
OF the departments Of supply and commits
sary The hard experience OF preparation
for the Spanish war developed an abun-
dance of material to administer these de-
partments in the new regiments. This de-
yelopment was not confined 10 political
lines. The records of the stan depart
ments of the army Will show wko are COM
petent quartermasters and commlssaries
II the appointing powers of the War Or
fee viii coufine their search for this ma
terial TO the records on file they Will net
20 amiss in their selections.
But upon the line officers and not upon
the staff does the private soldier depend
Immediately for direction. To the staff
and commanding officer he is only the in
significant part of the whole. To the line
officer he is a unit, and TO the line officer
he looks for protection and direction. a
more delicate regard for the individual
soldiers interest, therefore, should be
needed by the appointing powers than for
the administration Of the machine OF which
he is a part. Unless the appointing powers
are guided solely by the records OF officers
developed in camps of instruction of the
late volunteer army they are apt TO con-
gest the line with incompetency. The per-
sonal or political pull takes no account
of fitness. 1t is concerned only with in
dividuaI interest. The qualification of
service in the Spanish war" prescribed in
the official call for the provisional troops
is no guarantee that competency attested
by record Will govern in the selection Of
line officers. Except in a minority of cas-
es. the line, as well as the field and staff,
of the late volunteer army was filled by
pull" It makes no difference that this
pull was at State capitals and not at
Washington. 1t has strength here which
should not be permitted to influence the
action of the War Department now. Nor,
in the interest of an efficient service,
should that all too potent influence, the
Congressional pull" be allowed to die
tate appointments. This, added TO social
influence, clogged the staff of the late
volunteer army with incompetent and
''sons of their fathers" The same motive
which put them in glittering uniforms then
will operate now TO get them in the line Of
the new regiments being formed. The gen.
eral staff of the army is still suffering
through the presence Of some of them.
Mr.. Mckinley has a magnificent oppor-
tunity to adorn American citizenship and
strengthen confidence in American insti-
tutions by being governed by no other con-
siderations than these of an efficient serv-
ice and the interest of the private soldier
in the emergency now confronting him. II
he will reward only proved merit, attested
by the records, in the selection of the line
and other field and staff officers for the
new regiments he will measure up to l is
opportunity. The selection OF efficient
commanding officers must not be used to
cloak incompetency and inefficiency in the
field, staff, and line.