Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-21
Distinguished Officials Attend
Ceremonies at the Army
War College Building
sEcRETARY ROOTS ADDRESS
Root Explains the Aim, Object and
Scope Of tho Institution - A Thou
aand Troops Representing the Var
ious Branches of the Military Service
Take Part in the Ceremonies.

tDce OF an assemblage OF distinguished
people, including the president, MEM
hers Of the cabinet and congress, JUS
tices of the supreme court, representa-
tives of foreign powers and others emf :
merit in the life of the nation, the corner
stone of the ArrnN War College was
laid here today with impressive mill
tary and Masonic ceremonies. The site
selected for the new building is on the
reservation of the Washington bar
racks. at the foot of For.y-first street.
Today's ceremonies marked the begin
ming Of a project which has been fos-
tered by the president Secretary Root
and others interested in the advance
ment and thorough training of the
United States army. About 1000 troops.
representing the various branches OF
the war service, took part in the exer-
cises. The ceremonies incident to the
laying Of the corner stone were i'm
pressfve. After the invocation by the
Right Rev. Henry Y. Satterlee, Presi-
dent Roosevelt was introduced by
General Gillespie. chief of engineers.
n0oSoVelIS 0PeSCU.
The president said In part: "It should
be matter of pride and congratula-
tion to every American citizen inter-
ested in the welfare Of his country that
today we lay the foundation stone OF
the building, the erection of which sig
nalizes a long stride forward in secur-
ing the efficiency of the United States
army, a step less important than that
marked by the enactment of the law
to create q general staff. but a step
supplementing the passage of the act.
rounding 1t out and rendering 1t of far
wider and far deeper usefulness. It has
well been said that the surest way to
Invite national disaster is for a nation
to be opulent, aggressive and unarmed.
a nation that is rich. that is SO high
spirited as to be somewhat tireless of
giving offense and yet refrains from
that preparedness which is absolutely
necessary IL efficiency in war is ever
to be shown, such q nation is laying
deep the foundation for humiliation and
disaster. AS people. whether we Will
or not. we have reached stage when
we must play a great part in the world.
It is not onen to us to decide whether
or not we shall play 1t.
"All we have to decide is whether
we shall play i'll or we'll the part that
As before ns We have to play it. All
that 1t rests for us to do is to say
that we will play 1t well. This nation
has, by the mere trend OF events. been
forced into the position of world
power during the past few years. 1t
has responsibilities resting upon it
here, In the occident and in the orient
as well. It cannot bear the RESPONSE
bilities Alright unless it's voice is potent
for peace and justice, and dts voice can
be potent for peace and Justice only on
condition of Its being thoroly under
stood that we ask peace, not in the
spirit of q weakling and craven but
with assured self confidence of just
man armed.
$50 much for the lesson to be learn
ed by our people from the government
dn which the erection Of this building
Is part
part.
Now a word to the officers and the
enlisted men of the army. The last two
or three years have witnessed not
able awakening in our people to the
well being OF the army. Our people are
understanding as never before the fact
that the army like the navy will do
we'll in war mainly in proportion as
1t has been prepared we'll in peace, that
after war has begun it is too late for
us to prepare for victory. Defeat will
come enivitably and surely if prepar-
ation is put off until war begins, and
victory will come If it has been pre- par
ed for in time of peace, and on no other
terms.
During the session of congress that
IS now closing, we have seen the first
stride taken in putting the national
guard, the militia of the country, on u
footing of efficiency, the first long stride
taken on the lines marked out by
Washington himself, the first success
full effort made to put into effect Wash
ington's plea which for 110 years was
disregarded by our people. And again,
the first long stride has been taken to-
ward moderniZation, toward increasing
the efficiency of the army in accordance
with modern methods as devised by
General Sherman over a quarter of Il
century ago. 1t takes time and thought
and care to work out the necessary re-
forms. They don't came in a jumy. All
kinds OF distractions, deliberate pur-
pose. Instructions of mere inertia, OBJ
structions of carelessness, have to be
met with and overcome, but at last they
are over we'll, If only sufficient intensity
of purpose lies behind those backing
the reform. And now these great steps
have been tagen. Methods have been
provided for securing increased eff1cien-
cy of the army, and 1T rests with the
army itself to profit by what has been
done More and more it becomes evil
dent in modern war that efficiency OF
the individual officer and individual en-
listed men is going to be the prime
factor in deciding the fate OF
fought fields. Exercises of the
barracks and parade ground
DO not make 5 per cent of the soldiers
of real work and do not count for
per cent in his real efficiency. They
are very spectacular serve a good pur-
Iose and must be we'll done, but they
count for the smallest part in the quail
ties. some of which make an army ef-
fectfvp IN actual service. Officer and