The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-24
new WAR COLLEGE
Impressive Ceremonies at Laying of
Corner Stone.

the foundation for humiliation and
disaster
! AS people, whether we will or will
not, we have reached the stage when
we must play a great part in the
wold's affairs. 1t is not open to us
to decide whether or not we shall
play it. All we have to decide is
Wnether we shall play il we'll or ILL.,
The part is before us. We have to
play it. All that it rests for us to do
is to say that we will play it we'll.
(Applause.) This nation has by the
mere trend of events been forced into
a position of world power during the
past few years. 1t has responsible
ties upon it here, in the Occident,
and in the Orient, as we'll. 1t cannot
| bear it's responsibilities right unless
it's voice is potent for peace and JUS
, tice, and it's voice can be potent for
peace and justice only on condition
of its being Thoroughly understood
that we ask peace, not in the spirit
of the weakling, but with the assured
self-contidence of the just man armed.
Lound applause.) So much for the
lesson to be learned by our people
from the movement in which the
erection of this building is part.
Word to the Soldiers.
; Now, word to the officers and
! enlisted men OF the army. The last
two or three years have witnessed
a notable awakening in our people
to the we'll 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 it has been prepared
well in peace; that after the
war has begun it is too late for us
to prepare for the victory. Defeat
will come inevitably and surely il
! the preparation is put off until the
war begins, and victory will come
| if it has been prepared 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 nat
ional guard the militia of the country
on footing of efficiency, the first
! long stride taken on the lines marked
out by Washington himself, the first
successful effort made to put into
effect Washington's plea which fol
110 years was discarded by our people
And again, the first long stride has
been taken toward the modernization
toward increasing the efficiency of the
army in accordance with modern
methods as devised by General Sher
man over quarted of a century ago
1t takes time and thought and care
to work out necessary reform.
Reforms Come Slowly.
"They don't come in jump. All
kinds of distractions OF deliberare
purpose. distractions of mere inertia
Instructions of carelessness have tC
be met with and overcome, but al
last they are overcome if only suf
ficient Intensity of purpose lies be
hind those backing the reform. And
now these great Steps have been ta
ken. Methods have been provided
for securing the increased efficiency
of the army and it rests with the
army itself to profit by what has been
done More and more it has become
evident in modern war that the ef
ficiency of the individual officer and
of the individual enlisted man is going
to be the prime factor in deciding
the fate of fought duels. The exer
cises of the barracks and the parade
grounds do not make per cent OF
the soldiers real work and do moi
count for 5 per cent in his real eff
ficiency. They are spectacular, serve
a good purpose and must be we'll done
but they count for but the smallest
part in the qualities, the sum OF
which make the army effective OF
| ineffective in actual service. Officer
and man alike must be trained to
the highest point in the theory and
in the practice of the profession.
Small But Efficient.
''They must have training or they
never can reach the highest standard
of perfection in their art. The army
of the United States is, and it is not
I desirable that it should be other than
a small army relative to the popula
ton of the country, but we have
right to expect that that small army
will represent for it's size the highest
4 .ec= ~