Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-21
The War College.

Today occurs in this city an event OF hrst
Importance in the history OF the army OF
the United States. the laying Of the corner
stone of the great War College, which, It
Is believed, will prove one Of the prime fac
tors In the perfect evolution OF the Ameri-
1can military system Of the future. 1t Is In
direct line with the developments Of the
past forty years. The civil war taught
many important lessons. Some OF them
were put into practice quickly after the
, complete establishment Of peace. Others
came more slowly into the form Of works.
The country, exhausted by the strife, and
Z feeling more secure than for years past,
settled down to a conservatism, which
amounted almost to positive anti-mili-
tarism. exposing the army system to dry
2 rot. Fortunately there were active patient
factors at work, and although the process
Of apmy advancement was slow 1t was
nevertheless sure 1t finally required the
outbreak of the war with Spain to demon
strate the danger Of reliance upon this
process OF slow evolution and to quicken
/: the national appreciation OF the truth that
! in well equipped. well trained and es-
peclally well offlcered army. whatever Its
( size in time Of peace, lies the country
chief security for continued peace.
: Secretary Root has addressed himself
chiefly during his term Of office to the work.
Ing out Of the problems which have been
accommodating during these years OF evolu-
ton. Three great achievements mark his
administration. the provision OF general
staff. the perfection OF the militia system
and the establishment of the War College
Z As much has not been done In the past by
any Individual officer or administrator of
army affairs. The Secretary shows in his
speech today that the foundations for this
work were laid years ago by General Upton,
whose recommendations for advances Of
this character were permitted to rest I'M
, noted in the pigeon holes Of the War De-
partment. while the army settled back into
the Inertia Of confidence.
I The War College represents the principle
that war work calls for more than Drawn
and animal courage. The science OF attack
and defense has progressed far beyond the
barbaric stage Of blind bravado and stub
born resistance 1t calls for deep study, for
the solution of complex problems. 1t de-
mands a high degree Of training in many
branches Of learning But above all is the
science Of preparedness. which Is best, for
In the degree that nations are prepared for
attack or defense in these days Of arms Of
1
resistance. they will be prone to seek other
means OF settling questions at issue than
the arbitrament Of arms
In one sense the War College might there
fore be called the peace college, for in 1t
will be trained. or rather will be given the
finishing touches of training, the men upon
whom the nation must rely In the years to
come to maintain on high plane the mill
tary prestige of the United States in time
of peace as well as war. This country Is
today deficient in this item Of the training
of officers. They are given excellent initial
education as cadets, and then left largely to
their own initiative. Such special education
as they secure Is not systematic or inductive
of spirit OF competition for advancement.
The present plans OF the War College in
clude the establishment Of this principle OF
the selection Of the fittest for the honors
and responsibilities Of army service. Herein
lies the handspring Of the institutions
probable usefulness.
This. therefore. IL a great day for the
army Of the United States, and in the degree
that 1t leads to the Justification Of the hopes
placed in the War College 1t Is a great day
for the American people. for their future
security, peace and prosperity.