The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-02-27
STONE OF
WAR COLLEGE LAID
President Roosevelt Makes an
Earnest Address at War Col
leee Ceremony.
DESIGN OF INSTITUTION
II Is to Be the Central One of the coun'
try's Series of Institutions for
instruction in Military
Science.

washington, Feb. 24.-1n the presence
of an assemblage of distinguished peo-
pie including the president, OF
the cabinet, n of congress, Justices
OF the supreme court,
of foreign powers and others eminent
in the life of the nation, the corner
stone of the Army War college was laid
here today with impressive military and
masonic ceremonies. The site selected
for the new building is on the reserva-
ton of Washington barracks. Today's
ceremonies marked the beginning of the
project which has been fostered by the
president, Secretary Root and others
interested in the advancement and thor
ough training of the United States
army. About 1000 troops, representing
various branches Of the war service,
took part in the exercises.
The ceremonies incident to laying the
corner stone were impressive. After an
invocation by the Right Rev. Henry Z.
Satterlee, President Roosevelt was in
troduced by General Gillespie, chief of
engineers.
The Presidents Address.
The president said in part:
ut should be q matter of pride n
congratulation to every American that
today we lay the foundation Of a build
ing which s%ignalizes a long stride
toward efficiency of the United States
army, less important than enactment
of the general staff law, but supple
menting the passage of that act.
1T has well been said the surest way
to invite national disaster Is for a ma
ton to be opulent, aggressive and un-
armed. A nation that Is rich, that is
SO high spirited as to be somewhat
careless of giving %offense, and yet re-
frain from that preparedness which Is
ohcntntalv Ga 1V--Sllrh q nation 10
laying foundation for humiliation and
disaster. AS a people we have reached
the stage where we must play a great
part in the world. We have to decide
whether we shall play it well or i'll.
This nation has by the mere trend of
events been forced n h position of
a world power. 1t annot bear its re-
sponslbilities Alright unless its voice is
potent for peace and justice; and it's
voice can be potent for peace and JUS
tice only on condition OF it's being thor
oughly understood hat we ask peace,
not in the spirit of the weakling and
craven, but with the assured self con-
hdence of the just man., armed.
A Word to the Army.
"a word to the officers and men of
the army. The last two or three years
have witnessed a notable awakening
to the well being of the army. People
understand as never before that the
army. like the navy, will do well in
war mainly in proportion as 1t has been
prepared we'll in peace: after war has
begun it is too late for US to prepare.
Defeat will come if preparation is
put eff, and victory will come il it has
been prepared for In time of peace.
During the session Of congress now
closing we have seen the first stride
taken in putting the national guard on
a footing of efficiency. This first long
stride is taken on lines marked out by
Washington himself; his plea for ITO
years was disregarded. And again, a
hong stride has been taken towards
pnodernization and increasing efficiency,
in accordance with modern methods, as
by General Sherman over a
of a century ago. 1t takes
;time, thought and care to work u
reforms. They don't come In
a jump.
The Personal Equation.
More and more it became evident in
modern war hat efficiency OF the in
dividual officer and enlisted man is a
prime factor in deciding the fate Of
fought fields. The exercises Of the bar
racks and parade grounds do not make
5 per cent of h soldiers real work,
and do not count for 5 per cent. of his
efficiency. The army of the United
States is, and should be, small, relative
ly to the population of the country, but
we have a right to expect that small
army shall represent for its size the
highest efficiency. I have absolute
faith that to that degrees Of efficiency
it will attain, n will attain it be-
cause of wise and jealous use of the
opportunities afforded by the erection
of this very building"
Secretary Roots Address.
Secretary Root followed ,he presi-
dent. The secretary's address was de-
voted mainly to an explanation for the
founding of the institution, it's aims,
purposes and its government. He said
1t vas founded, not to promote war, but
to preserve peace by intelligent and
adequate preparation to repel agrees
sion. F"At the close of the Spanish
war;" he said, sit became evident that
separate institutions Of military in
struction had reached a point where
their efficiency could be increased and
the results Of their work could be util-
lied best by bringing them into rela-
ton as parts of a general military edu-
cation, under inspection and supervis-
ion of a single co-ordinating and con-
trolling body, and by su~pplenenting
their work with a postgraduate course
which should carry their best men on
ward along lines Of research and
thought by which experience and the
DRY combine to make skillful command
ers Of armies. such a system the army
Is now putting in force as rapidly as
possible"
Ma Tor General 6. p. Nj. Young nras;.