The news & observer., 1903-02-22
Imposing Military and Ma
sonic Ceremonies.
GOD OF BATTLES INVOKED
Roosevelt Urges Need of Fuller Military Train
ing---Root Says the College is not to
Promote War but to Preserve
Peace,
(By the Association Press.l

Washington, D. c., Feb. 21.-In the
presence of an assemblage of distin-
gGished people, including the President
of the United States, members of the
Cabinet, and of Congress, Justices of the
Supreme Court, representatives of for
eign powers, and others eminent in the
life of the nation, the corner -stcne OF
the Army War College was laid here to-
day with impressive military and Ma
sonic ceremonies.
The occasion was rendered especially
notable and interesting by addresses de-
Hvered by President Roosevelt Secretary
of War Root and Major General S. B. NJ
Young, president of the War College. The
site selected for the new building is on
the reservation of the Washington Bar
racks, at the foot of Four-and half
street. Today's ceremonies marked the
beginning of a project which has been
fostered by the President, Secretary Root
and others interested in the advancement
and thorough training of the United
States Army.
A picturesque feature of the ceremonies
today was the participation of the iaili-
tary About 1000 trops, representing the
Various branches of the war service,
took part in the exercises.
President Roosevelt, accompanied by his
military aide, Colonel Theodore A. Bingt
ham, LEFT the White House in a carriage
at IL O'Clock. He was escorted to the
War College grounds by Troop e, of the
Third Cavalry. In other carriages MEM
hers of the Cabinet accompanied sthe
President Two commissioned off
GERS, both skilled horsemen, rode on each
side of sthe Presidents carriage to con-
troll the horses in case they were fright
ened by the firing of salutcs or other
wise, and two privates were detailed to
each of the other carriages as pre-
caution against accidents. The Presi-
dent was received at the grounds with
military honoTs.
The ceremony incident to the laying
of the cornerstone was impressive. The
invocation was pronounced by the Right
Rev. Henry Y. Satterlee, Bishop of Wash
ington, the assemblage standing uncov-
cred during the prayer.
President Roosevelt was introduced by
General G. L. Gillespie. chief of engin-
GERS. United States Army. The Presi-
dent said:
lone word first to the Nation and then
another word to the Army To the Ma
tion first: 1t has we'll been said that
the surest way to invite national disaster
is for a nation to be opulent, aggressive
and unarmed officer and man alike
must be trained to the highest point in
the theory and in the practice Of the pro-
fession. 1t is of course a truism to say
that if there is not in the theories the
grounding in practice they will amount
to nothing, but they must have the train
ing and the theory too They must have
that training or they can never reach the
higest standard of perfection in their art
The army of the T~~'+~1 States is. and it
is not desirable that it should be other
than a small army relatively to the pop
ulation of the country, but we have a
right to expect that that small army
shall represent for its size the very high
est point of efficiency of any army in
the civilized world, (applause). and l
have the most absolute faith that to that
degree of efficiency it will attain. and
that it will attain it in no small part be-
cause of the wise and Jealous use it will
make of the opportunities afforded by
the erection Of this very building" cloud
and continuous applause).
Secretary Root then spoke, saying in
part:
''Not to promote war. but to preserve
peace by intelligent and adequate prepa-
ration to repel aggression, this institu-
tion is founded. II is a growth and nat
a new departure 1t is a natural and
necessary development of the views with
which General Grant established the ar
tillery school at Fortress Monroe Cen
eral Sherman established the infantry and
cavalry school at Fort Leavenworth,
Kas.. and General Sheridan established
the school of application for cavalry and
light artillery at Fort Riley. At the
close of the war with Spain the growth
of separate institutions had reached a
point where their efficiency could be in
creased and the results of their work
could be utilized best by bringing them
into relation as parts of a general sys-
TEN of military education under the in
spection and supervision of q single CO.
ordinating and controlling body and by
supplementing their work with a post
graduate course which should carr
best men onward along the lines of re-
search and of thought by which expe-
renee and theory combine to the making
of skilful commanders of armies Such
a system the army is now putting In force
as rapidly as possible"
MAJOR General S. b. M Young presi-
deut of the War College. then delivered
an address:
Grand Master Walker, assisted ty the,
other officers of the Grand Lodge of na-
sons of the District of Columbia. then
laid the cornerstone of the new build
ing in accordance with the impressive
ritual of the Masonic fraternity.