Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07

SoiuiapAa, Dy joint select c0mnlttee Oh
the two Houses which made its report in
March. 1&5S. created IN the act approved
June 8. 1900. a board Of charities for the
District OF Columbia, to consist OF I'VE
residents OF the District, appointed by the
President OF the United States by and with
the advice and coneent of the Senate each
for term OF three years, to serve without
compensation. President Mckinley ap.
pointed five men who had been active and
pr, mine mt In the public charities Of WASH
ington, all OF whom upon taking Office.
July l, 1900. resigned from the different
charities with which they had been con-
nected. The members of the board have
been reappointed In successive years. The
beard serves under the Commissioners OF
the District OF Columbia. The board gave
IT'S trSt year to a careful and impartial
stcdy or the special problems before II, and
mas continued that study every year in the
ngn' OF the best practice in public chart
ues elsewhere. Its recommendations In it's
arr uei reports to the Congress through the
commissioners of the District of Columbia
Tor the economical and efficient admins
uatlon or the charities and reformatories
or the District of Columbia as required
by the act creating 1t. have been based
upon the principles commended by the Joint
select committee of the Congress in its re-
port of March, 1888. and approved by the
best administrators OF public charities and
make for the desired systema tization and
Improvement of the affairs under it's super
v1sion. They are worthy of favorable con-
sideration by the Congress.
The Army.
The effect of the laws providing a
General Staff for the Army and for the
mere effective use of the National Guard
has been excellent. Great Improvement has
been made III the efficiency of our Army in
recent years. Such schools as those erected
at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley and
the institution of fall mancuyer work ac-
complish satisfactory results The good ef-
Iect OF these maneuvers upon the National
Loa[u Is marked and ample appropriate
silociu pe made to enable the guardsmen of
LIE several states to share in the benefit
Inc Government should as soon as pos
slpie sec ure suitable permanent camp sites
ior military maneuvers in the various sec
llohs OF the country. The service thereby
rendered not only to the Regular Army,
but to the National Guard of the several
states, VIII re so great as to repay MANY
Imes over the relatively small expense
we should not rest satisfied with what has
been done. however
Inc only people who are contented with a
system OF promotion by mere seniority are
those who are contented with the triu-nph
OF medlocrity over excellence. On the other
hand. system which encoura ged the exer-
else OF social or political fayoritism in pro-
motions would be even worse. But 1t
would surely be easy to devise method of
promotion from grade to grade in which the
opinion of the higher officers of the service
upon the candidates should be decisive upon
Just such system now obtains at West
Point. The quality of each years work de-
termines the standing of that years class
the man being dropped or graduated into
the next class in the relative position which
his military superiors decide to be war
ranted by his merit.
Evil Of Present System.
In other words, ability. energy. fidelity
and all similar qualities determine the rank
OF a man year after year in West Point and
his standing in the Army when he graduates
from West Point; but from that time on all
effort to find which man is best or worst
and reward or punish him accordingly is
Abandoned no brilliancy. no amount of
hard work, no eagerness in the performance
OF duty. can advance him, and no slackness
or Indifference that falls short of court
martial offense can retard him. Until this
system Is changed we cannot hope that our
officers will be Of high grade we have
right to expect, considering the material
upon which we draw. Moreover. when a
man renders such service as Captain PERISH
ing rendered last spring in the Moro cam
paign. it ought to be possible to reward
him without at once jumping him to the
grade of brigadier-general.
The Navy.
Shortly after the enunciation of that IA
nous principle Of American foreign policy
now known as the Monroe Doctrire.'
President Monroe. In a special Message to
Congress on January 30. 1924. spoke as fol-
lows: ''The Navy is the arm from which our
Government will always derive most aid in
support of our rights. Every power
engaged in war will know the strength of
our naval power, the number of our ships of
each class, their condition, and the promp-
titude with which we may bring them into
service, and will pay due consideration to
that argument.
1 heartily congrat ulate the Congress upon
the steady progress in building up the
American Navy. We can not afford a let-up
in this great work. To stand sdll means 10
go back. There should be no cessation in
adding to the effective units of the fighting
strength of the fleet. Meanwhile the Navy
Department and the officers of the Navy are
doing well their part by providing constant
service at sea under conditions AKIN 10
those of actual warfare. Our officers and
enlisted men are learning to handle the bat
tie ships. cruisers, and torpedo boats with
high efficiency in fleet and squadron forma-
tionS and the standard of craftsmanship
is being steadily raised. The best work
ashore is Indispensable, but the highest duty
of naval officer is to exercise command at
The establishment of a naval base in the
Philippines ought not to be longer post
poned Such base is desira BILE in time of
peace: in time of war 1t would be .ndis-
pensab BILE and it's lack would be ruinous.
Without 1t our feet would be helpless. Our
naval experts are agreed that Subls Bay
is the proper place for the purpose Tho
national interests require that the work of
station at Subig Bay .be begun at an early
date for under the best conditions ii is
work which will consume much time
Naval General Staff.
1t Is eminently desirable. however. that
there should be provided a naval general
staff on lines similar 10 those of the General
Staff lately created for the Army Within
the Navy Department itself the needs of
the service have brought about system
under which the duties of a general staff
are partially performed; for the Bureau of
Navigation has under its direction the War
College, the Office of Naval Intelligence.
and the Board of Inspection. and has been
in close touch with the General Board OF
the Navy. But though under the excellent
officers at their head, these boards and bu-
reaus do good work. they have not the
thority of a general staff. and have not
sufficient scope to insure proper readi-
ness for emergencies. We need the estab-
lshment by law of body of trained Off
GERS who shall exercise a systematic con-
troll of the military affairs of the navy, and
be authorized advisers of the Secretary con-