Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-02

posed by the Secretary of War last year.
When the young officers enter the Army
from West Point they probably stand above
their compeers in any other military serv-
Ice Every effort should be made, by train
ing, by reward of merit. by scrutiny into
their careers and capacity. to keep them OF
the same high relative excellence through
out their careers.
The measure providing for the reorgani-
cation OF the militia system and for Sc
curing the highest efficiency in the Ma
tional Guard which has already passed the
House. should receive prompt attention
and action. 1t is Of great Importance that
the relation Of the National Guard to the
militia and volunteer forces OF the United
States should be defined. and that in place
OF our present obsolete laws a practical and
efficient system should be adopted.
Provision should be made to enable the
Secretary Of War to keep cavalry and ar
tllery horses. worn out in long perform
ance OF duty. Such horses fetch but trifie
when sold: and rather than turn them out
to the misery awaiting them when thus
disposed of. 1t would be better to employ
them at light work around the posts, and
when necessary to put them painlessly to
death
AAS 1Natd1 0AauSuV0Ib.
For the first time in our history naval
maneuvers on a large scale are being held
under the immediate command Of the
Admiral Of the Navy. Constantly increas-
Ing attention Is being paid to the gunnery
OF the navy. but it is yet far from what 1t
should be. I earnestly urge that the in
crease asked for by the Secretary Of the
Navy in the appropriation for improving
ha .ls r. h1&t
the only shots that count are the shots that
hit. 1t Is necessary to provide ample funds
for practice with the great guns in time Of
peace. These funds must provide not only
for the purchase Of projectiles, but for al
lowances for prizes to encourage the gun
crews. and especially the gun pointers. and
for perfecting an intelligent system under
which alone it is possible to get good prac-
tice
There should be no halt in the work of
building up the navy, providing every year
additional fighting craft We are very
rich country vast in extent Of territory and
great in population; country. moreover.
which has an Army diminutive indeed when
compared with that Of any other f1rst-class
power. We have deliberately made our own
certain foreign policies which demand the
possession OF a first-class navy. The 18TH
milan canal will greatly increase the eff
cheney of our navy II the navy is OF sufh-
cient size: but IL we have an inadequate
navy. then the building Of the canal would
be merely giving a hostage to any power
OF superior strength. The Monroe Doctrine
should be treated as the cardinal feature OF
American foreign policy: but 1t would be
worse than idle to assert it unless we in
tended to back 1t up. and 1t can be backed
up only by thoroughly good navy. A good
navy Is not a provocative Of war. 1t Is the
surest guaranty Of peace.
The Need of Crews and Officers.
Each individual unit of our navy should
be the most efficient of Its kind as regards
both material and personnel that Is to be
found in the world. I call your special at
tention to the need of providing for the
manning of the ships. Serious trouble
threatens US if we can not do better than we
are now doing as regards securing the ser
vices Of a sufficient number Of the highest
type Of sailormen. Of sea mechanics. The
veteran seamen OF our war ships are Of as
high a type as can be found in any navy
which rides the waters of the world; they
are unsurpassed in daring, in resolution, in
readiness, in thorough knowledge Of their
profession. They deserve every considera-
ton that can be shown them. But there are
not enough Of them. It Is no more possible
to improvise a crew than 1t Is possible to
improvise war ship. To build the finest
ship. with the deadliest battery, and to
send 1t afloat with a raw crew, no matter
how brave they were individually, would
be'to insure disaster II a foe Of average ca
pacity were encountered. Neither ships
nor men can be tmprovised when war has
begun.
We need a thousand additional officers
in order to properly man the ships now pro-
vided for and under construction. The
classes at the Naval School at Annapolis
should be greatly enlarged. At the same
time that we thus add the officers where
we need them. we should facilitate the re-
tirement Of those at the head Of the list
whose usefulness has become impaired.
Promotion must be fostered II the service
Is to be kept efficient.
Navy Must Be Maintained.
The lamentable scarcity of officers. and
the large number Of recruits and Of unskiIl-
ed men necessarily put aboard the new yes-
sells as they have been commissioned, has
thrown upon our officers. and especially on
the lieutenants and Junior grades, unusual
labor and fatigue and has gravely strained
their powers Of endurance. Nor is there
sign Of an INN ediate let-up in this strain.
1t must continue for some time longer, until
more officers are graduated from Annapolis,
and until the recruits become trained and
skillful in their duties. In these difficulties
incident upon the development Of our war
fleet the conduct Of all our officers has been
creditable to the service, and the Iieutenants
and Junior grades In particular have dis
played an ability and a steadfast cheerful
ness which entities them to the ungrudgng
thanks Of all who realize the dIsheartening
trials and fatigues to which they are of
necessity subjected.
There Is not a cloud on the horizon at
present. There seems not the slightest
chance Of trouble with a foreign power
We most earnestly hope that this state Of
things may continue: and the way to In
sure It's continuance is to provide for a
thoroughly efficient navy. The refusal to
maintain such a navy would invite trouble
and II trouble came would insure disaster
Fatuous self-complacency or vanity, or
in refusing to prepare for
danger, is both foolish and wicked in such
nation as ours; and past experience has
shown that such faulty in refusing to rec