The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-23
The War College.

Inc war college.
The speech made by President Roose-
welt on Saturday, on the occasion of law |
Ing the corner stone Of the new war COL
lego in Washington, was unanswerable in
its logic. finely patriotic in it's quality and
spirit, and ought to be taken to heart by
Americans who are so terrified by the
DOGGY of "militarism' that they think
this great republic would do we'll to abol
ish the regular army. and, in time of ma
tional peril do some vigorous comman
deerfng after the fashion of the Beers and
whoop up to active service afield MANY
regiments and corps of raw militia. for
the national Defense
PRESIDENT Roosevelt, referring to the ex-
istlns responsibilities of the nation which,
through the trend Of events over which
1t has had no control yields an influence
as world power which the civilized ma
TOPS feel compelled to heed, saws that
these responsibilities cannot be borne
Alright unless the voice of the nation is
potent for peace and justice, "only on
condition Of it's being thoroughly under
stood that we ask peace, not in the spirit
assured self-confidence Of the just man
armed" Absolute preparedness was the
presidents theme, and scientific training
the essential element Of preparedness. He
called attention to the steps taken toward
that end in the passage Of the militia bill
and the army staff bill and the special
service schools new in existence, while
the new way collaoro. will furnish, ~,
cient postgraduate course for advanced
study Of military science and strategic
problems. ..-'
Let us recall how in April, 1861 the
government Of the United States had not
an army to maintain it's authority and was
unable to strike at once and with de-
structive effect an armed conspiracy Of
easily accessible states, and that it was
only after seven months of busy prepara-
ton that, from the great latent but I'M
organized force the militia, an organized
force Of 640,637 officers and men was put
into the field against enemy which had
utilized the delay Of the federal govern
ment in effective mobilization, to
strengthen himself in every possible way.
1t was the unpreparedness of the govern
ment which led the seeding south to be-
lieve that it would have walkover, a
dress parade. Unpreparedness made the
war for the union last at least two years
longer than it otherwise would. There
were 2,67S,967 men furnished by the states
but the greater portion of the mhad to
take their first training in the art of ar,
and every new regiment of raw recruits
proved a weakness to the armies.
Since the war for the union there have
been very great changes in the art of war.
That conflict showed the value of open
order fighting and the stupidity Of fight
ing in solid column, and the advantage of
quick firing small arms. Great Britain
learned this in fighting the Beers, and
the latter taught the whole world the great
value of mounted infantry for striking
sudden blows at an enemy and destroying
material That the art of war is progress
sive has been sufficiently demonstrated
during the past century. The science of
war, as understood by Napoleon, is not
the science of war to-day. Napoleon,
himself, said that a general should change
his tactics every ten years. The science
of war as practiced in the Crimea is OBJ
solete. Arms have changed since the
Franco-Prussian war. To-day there is q
ready use by the nations of every i'm
provernent of martial mechanical art,
and the aim is to avoid the useless sac
rifice of brave men. The subject of edu-
cation in the army is assuming proper
Importance. The notion that a soldier
is a mere machine is exploded, and it is
conceded that the soldier who knows the
most will generally do the best fighting
Instruction Of recruits Immediately afte,
enlistment is feature Of the reform
The postgraduate course provided in tbs
new war college apparently leaves nothing
undone to &promote the efficiency Of the
army whether in strategy afield or solv-
ing transportation and commissary prob:
LENS.