The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-06
ARMY'S WORK IN PEACE
A Bulletin on Educational Condi.
tions Issued by Secretary Root
schools Are to BE Opened For Omcars to
Perfect Themselves Ia Military
Seienee and Skill.

Washington. D. C.-Secretary Root,
before leaving Washington. issued the
following:
with the reduction of the Philippine
force and the withdrawal from Cuba
the army Is called upon to resume its
most important work in time Of peace
the work of perfecting itself In mill
tary science and skill. and Of promo
ton Of the preparation Of the United
States against future warfare. ! w'sn
to call attention to the conditions
which now require especial effort and
zeal on your part In the performance
Of this duty.
"Slnce the declaration Of war With
Spain In April. 1893. there have been
appointed In the line Of the army 1912
lIeutenants. In addition to 276 appoint
ed from the Military Academy. OF
these. 81S were appointed from ofiicer
of volunteers under the act Of Febru
ary 9. 1901: 414 were appointed from
the enlisted men Of the regular and
volunteer armies. and 512 were ap'
pointed from civil life.
THE abandonment Of the military
schools for commissioned officers which
followed the employment Of the en-.
tire army In active military operations
has left these 1912 new lieutenants SUBJ
stantially without any means OF &C.
auiring a systematic military educa'
ton. While many Of the former Off,
GERS Of volunteers have acquired the
most valuable experience by active ser.
vice in the field. yet Il Is OF great i'm
portance to them. as we'll rs to the I'm.
trained appointees from civil life and
from the ranks. that they shall have
m opportunity for broad and thorough
training. both practical and theoretical.
under the competent masters In the art
OF war whom our army Is able to sup
ply.
Congress has now. with wise liber.
alIty. made provision for the reopening
OF the army schools. has given Its sane.
ton to the general system OF military
education embodied In the general or.
der OF November q last. including the
enlargement and development Of the
Fort Leavenworth school into Gen.
eral Service and Staff College. the es-
tablishment of the War College at
Washington. with suitable buildings.
and the rebuilding Of the Engineer
School. and has made ample appro-
priations for these purposes
Every effort will be made BY the
War College Board. which has general
supervision and charge Of the whole
system. to bring Its advantages to the
new officers OF the army as speedily as
possible. and to organize officers
schools at all the considerable posts
without delay. ask for hearty and
effective cooperation with them on the
part of every officer Of the army. There
are 1852 graduates of the Military
Academy now holding commissions.
They especially have IN opportunity
to demonstrate their loyalty to the
principles of that institution by helping
to diffuse throughout the service the
benefits which have come to them
from their four years OF hard study.
THE newly appointed officers should
realize that there Is much to be learned
and that the way to qualify themselves
for the high and independent command
for which they should all hope Is ny
constant intellectual exercise and by
systematic study OF the reasons OF mill
tary action and the materials and con-
dltions and difficulties with which MILL
tary commanders have to deal.
Careful attention to the instruction
OF the newly appointed officers Is en-
Joined upon all resimental. troop bat.
terry and company commanders. They
should be impressed with the impor.
tance Of the faithful performance Of
every duty. however unlmportant 1t
may appear to them. and with their re-
sponsibility for such conduct and bear.
ing In all their relations as shall do
honor to the service"