The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-03

tered into by the American people has
INDICATED itself in more signal manner
than the policy of holding the Philippines.
The triumph of our arms, above all the
triumph of our laws and principles. has
come sooner than we had any right to ex-
pect. Too much praise can not be given
to the army for what 1t has done in the
Philippines both in warfare and from an
administrative standpoint In preparing
the way for civil government; and SINH
lar credit belongs to the OWL authorities
for the way In which they have planted
the seeds of self governmert IN the
ground thus made ready for them The
courage the unflinching endurance the
high soldierly efficiency, and the general
ind-heartedness and humanity OF our
troops have been strilkingly manifested.
There now remain only some fifteen
thousand troops in the islands All told,
over one hundred thousand have been
sent there. OF course, there have been
individual instances OF wrong doing
among them. They warred under fearful
difficulties Of climate and surroundings;
and under the strain of the terrible prov
ocstions which they continually received,
from their foes, occasional instances Of
cruel retaliation occurred. Every effort
has been made to prevent such cruelties,
and finally these efforts have been COM
plete1y successful. Every effort has also
been made to detect and punish the
wrong-doers. After making all allow
ances for these misdeeds, 1t remains true
that few indeed have been the instances
In which war has been waged by civil
ICED power against semi-civilized or bar
barous forces where there has been so
little wrong-doing by the yictors as in the
Philippine Islands. On the other hand.
the amount of difficult. Important and
bene1cent work which has been done is
we'll nigh incalculable.
Taking the work Of the army and the
civil authorities together, it may be
questioned whether anywhere else in mod
ern times the world has seen a better ex-
ample Of real constructive craftsmanship
than our people have given in the Phil
ippine Islands. High praise should also
be given those Fflipinos, in the aggregate
very numerous, who have accented the
new conditions and Joined with our rep
resentatives to work with hearty good
will for the welfare OF the islands.
The army has been reduced TO the min
imum allowed by law. 1t Is very small
for the size of the nation, and almost GER
tainly should be kept at the highest point
of efficiency. The senior officers are
given scant chance under ordinary condi-
lions to exercise commands commefsti-
rate with their rank. under circumstances
which would fit them to do their duty
In time of actual war. A system of ma
neuvering our army In bodies Of some lit
tie size has been begun and should be
steadily continued. Without such ma
neuvers it is folly to expect that in the
event of hostilities with any serious foe
even a small army corps could be
handled to advantage. Both our officers
and enlisted men are such that we can
take hearty pride In them. No better
material can be found. But they must
be thoroughly trained. both as individuals
and in the mass. The Workmanship OF
the men must receive special attention.
In the circumstances Of modern warfare
the man must act far more on his own
individual responsibility than ever be-
fore. and the high individual efficiency OF
the unit is of the utmost Importance.
Formerly this unit was the regiment; 1t
IL now not the regiment. not Asysn Nthe