The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-07

Men One of the Things Which Is
Most Needed.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 6.-(Spe-
ciai.)-Secretary of War Root is anxious
to have congress pass legislation at this
session beneficial to the United States
army. An expert has undertaken to
point out to Secretary Root and the
people just what advantages can be Sc
cured at the hands of the legislative
branch of the government. The following
is an outline Of this gentleman's views:
An adequate process of selection ac-
cording to merit and effectiveness among
the officers of the army, so that the
men of superior ability and power may
be known and placed in positions involv-
Ing responsibility and authority.
The exercise and training of the Off
GERS and men of the army in the move
ments of large bodies of troops by bril-
gade, division and corps, under conditions
approaching as nearly as possible those
to be anticipated in executing the plans
devised for their action in war.
1t is much easier to lay down the first
of these propositions than it is to carry
1t out in way to produce the best re-
suits, yet the power of selection ac-
cording to merit and effectiveness should
be reposed by law in the authorities re-
sponsble for the care and efficiency Of
the army. This power of selection should
run through the whole military estab-
lishment, from the top to the bottom,
and should include in its scope the COM
manding general as well the young
est lieutenant. 1t now exists in an I'M
10 ON.1, is
stoned or warrant officers, and to a linn
tied extent as to commissioned officers.
What is needed, therefore, is not a new
power of selection, in the case of COM
missioned officers, nut an extension and
regulation Of pc Ker already existing
in a minor degree. Commissioned Of
ficers are now required to pass an eX-
animation for promotion from one grade
to another If a candidate for promotion
fails to pass his examination he is not
promoted, hut remains in the lower grade
until another opportunity for promotion
occurs, when lie is again examined. If
he fails to pass this second examination
his chances of promotion are at an end,
and he is either placed on. the retired
list or dropped from the army altogether.
This power of selection is still further
limited by the fact that commissioned
officers fram second lieutenant to colonel
are ordered before examining boards for
promotion by seniority of commission.
Thus there is no power of selection as
to what officer shall be ordered for pro-
motion in any given case. This is deter
mined by glance at the army regis
ter.
POWER of SELECTION.
If full power of selection We're conferred
n
peace, and if it We're exercised with in
telligence and without favoritism, 1t
would, as the secretary says, afford an
incentive to eXertion and a reward for
professional attachments and effective
service. while stimulating the develop
ment Of the capable officer and bringing
to the front the men best able to pear
responsibility and perform the dlfhculr
duties to be confronted in actual hos
tilities. This is the prlght sioe ol INC
shield.
But if this power of selection is to be
subject in practice to social and political
influence, its existence would be caiam-
ity to the army and disastrous to the
country. This is the dark side of the
shield That the danger of this very
thing is not imaginary is amply demon
strated by the unfortunate experience Oh
the past When heretofore the power
of selection Tor appointments to or pro-
motion in the army, or of details to at
+Z,oc+ive duties or pleasant posts has eX-
ieted IN an unlimited degree, its exer-
cise almost always has been controlled by
social or political influences. Nowhere
hoe this been better known nor more
bitterly resented than in the army YET
the army has been helpless to prevent Ihe
nractice Congress can so le;gislate as
ia minimize these evils, and Will SO reg
islate If the people, their constituents uo
rnand such legislation, for Whlle II Is INC
49, tbot suffers in the first instance
from the favoritism that hows from lhe
social or the political pull, it Is the peo-
1Io who suffer in the last instance:
fTl,o men who make the laws ana Inc
NON who carry them out the senators
ond representatives In congress- the pTee.-
don't and the secretary OF war owe tiiei,
nositions to just those social ana poiAIlCol
Influences against which the army, nus
ha iealousIy guarded If it is to be What
The neople ought to demand that it be- an
eNfoient and effective military machlne'
ond unless it be that it has no reason
IN exist at all Difficult as this Phase ol
the problem Is, as regards the reg ulai
army. It is simple as compared with that
which confronts us when we come 70
consider the volunteer army. But OF lndt
hereafter
REGULAR ARMY
The regular army is small, and always
will ho small. as compared with the needs
of the country in war To make 1t what
II should be- a model military estapnsn-
ment, presents no insuperable dilncultleS
for either the legislative or the executive
branch of the government, II only the
former brings to the work intelligence
the latter honesty of purpose, and both
nf int that
is required Is that which is capable OF
discarding the idea that Americans are
superior to everybody else and know 1t
all because, by the help of France, we
won our independence from Great Britain,
and maintained it against her at a time
when she was eXerting her whole strength
of men and money In the effort to de-
stroy Napoleon because we defeated
Mexico when that country was rent by
internal factions; because we put down
the accession movement by force of arms
after a long and doubtful struggle, or be-
cause we crushed decayng Spain in
few weeks. We accomplished none or
these things by reason of the Intelligent
foresight that leads to preparation for an
emergency, for, as nation, we have
never displayed that quality. Our legisla-
tors should have the intelligence to learn
from our own experience and from that
of others as we'll. In this way hindsight
may be transformed into foresight.
Wherever foreign army has a better
military system in whole or in part than
ours, a better formation for any arm
cf it's service, a better method Of supply
ing its troops in peace or war, a better
general staff, better drill regulations, bet
ter guns, better powder, better imple-
ments and material of war generally or
specifically-in short, better anything than
ours. the legislative and executive
branches Of our government should have
the intelligence to know it and the ability