The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-05
He Pays Tribute to Their
Work on BattLefieldS.
THE ANNUAL SESSION OPENS
Appropriate Exercises at the National
TheateT Precedes the Business Meet
ing of the National Association-Ad-
dress BY Commissioner Mcfarland.

The frs session of the eleventh an
noal meeting Of the Association OF Mill
tary. Surgeons Of the United States met
at the National Theater shortly after
10 O'Clock today, President Roosevelt
delivering the address of welcome.
The theater was crowded when the
body was called TO order by the presi-
dent OF the association. Lieut.. Col.
3ohn Van f. HUFF. deputy surgeon gen
eral of the United States Army. The
Marine Band occupied part of the stage
back Of the officers Of the association
President Roosevelt. accompanied ty
Secretaries Shaw, Root, and Moody
arrived just before 10 o'clock, and the
distinguished gentlemen were seated on
the stage.
After the playing Of a patriotic fan
tasia, The Voice Of Our Nation" San
lehman, by the Marine Band, the Right
Rev. Henry Y SatterIee, D. D., Bishop
OF Washington, delivered the opening
invocation. Then President Roosevelt
delivered his welcoming address.
The Presidents Speech.
Mr.. Roosevelt said:
Mr.. President, Ladies. and Gentle
men: I an glad TO have the opportunity
10 bid welcome to the members OF this
association and their friends today. The
men OF your association combine two
professions, each Of which is rightfuIly
held in high honG. by all capable OF
approaching the real work of men-the
profession # the soldier and the pro-
iessiOn o. the doctor. lApplause.] Con-
oitiOns in modern civilization tend more
and more to make the average life of
the community one OF great ease. com
pared 10 what has been the case in the
past And together with what advan-
tages have come from this softenfng
Of life and rendering il more easy there
are certain attendant disadvantages of
suffering
1t is a very necessary thing that
there should be some professions, some
trades, where the same demands are
made now as ever in the past upon the
heroic qualities IN a man. and those de-
nands are made alike upon the
soldier and upon the doctor. and
how much more upon those who
are both soldiers and doctors
upon the men who have continually TO
face all the responsibility, all the risk
faced by their brothers in the civilian
branch OF the profession, and who also
in time Of war, must face much the
same risks, often exactly the same
risks, that are faced by their brothers
tn-aTms, whose trade is 10 Kill and not
TO cure Il has been my good fortune
gentlemen, to see some Of your body at
work in the field, TO see them carrying
the wounded and dying from the firing
line, themselves as much exposed 70
danger as those they were Tescuing- and
TO see them working day and night IN the
field hospital afteTWaTd, when even the
intensity OF the strain could hardly keep
them awake, so tagged out were they
by having each 10 do the work Of ten
Glad to See the Surgeons.
4 welcome you here and an glad to
have the chance Of seeing you. and I
wish TO say a word Of congratuIatioa to
you upon this association In all our
modern life We have found it absolutely /.
Indispensable tc supplement the work
Of the individual by the work OF indi- /
giduals gathered into an association (
Without this work Of the association
you cannot give the highest expression /
10 individual endeavoF and il would be
2 great misfortune if the military mem
Ders OF the surgical and medical pro /
Tessio0 did not take every advantage +
Of their opportunities IN the same way /
that IS taken by the members Of the .
medical and surgical professions who /.
are not IN the army OF the navy OF the .
Marine Hospital Service-who are in /.
civilian life outside. I am glad TO see /
you gathered in this association.
4 Word of Warning.
Just one word OF warning Pay all /
possible heed 10 the scientific side Of .
your work; perfect yourselves as scien- /
.tifc men able 10 work with the best
and most delicate apparatus, and never /
for one moment forget-espe ciauy the /
higher officers among you-that in time
OF need you viii have TO do your work
with the scantiest possible apparatus,
and that then your usefulness viii be
proportional not upon the adequacy Of
the complaint that you did not have
apparatus enough, but upon the way you
have done with what you had. Remem-
her that and remember also-and this
applies 10 the higher officers
that you have got TO supplement in your
calling the work Of the surgeon with
the work OF the administrator You
have got TO be doctors and military men
End able administrators Continued
applause.
Commissioner Macfarland's Address.
The Marine Band then played the
.star-sPangled Banner" Commissioner
Mcfarland then spoke on behalf of the
District government He said
The government and the people Of
the District OF Columbia welcome your
association most heartily 20 the Ma
tionaI capital We are glad you are
here at its most beautiful season. We
know that You are proud OF its beauty
and desirious to see it made more at
tractive for you have The common in
terest in il OF all the citizens Of the
United States. who feel that nothing is
too good for The Capital Of their coun-
Try. The new plans on the old prin-
ciples for the further development and
OF the District OF Co
lumbIa have the support OF all iutelI-
gent and patriotic Americans who have
examined them
a visit . Washington now exalts I
NJ just PRIDE Of any American while
& inspires him to work for the i'm
DrOvcment OF The one capital which is
he general and gOndIv heritage Of us