Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-02-27
70 NATION AND ARMY.
President Roosevelt, in an Address,
Speaks a Significant Word
to Each.
OURS IS WORLDWIDE RESPONSIBILITY.
As Wealth and influence Of Nation
Increases, 1t Must Strengthen It's
Defenses-Army Must De Trained
and AZ Highly Efficient as That of
Any Other Nation.


and az Highly Efficient as That of
Any other Nation.
Washington, Feb. 23.-At the laying
of the cornerstone of the new War col
lege in this city Saturday, President
Roosevelt delivered the principal adj
dress, of which the following is lib
eral extract:
Gentlemen and Ladies': 1t should
be a matter of pride and congratula-
ton to every American citizen inter-
ested in the welfare of his country,
that to-day we lay the foundation
stone of building, the erection OF
which signalizes a long stride forward
in securing the efficiency of the United
States army, a step less important
than that marked by the enactment OF
the law to create general staff, but
step experimenting the passage OF the
act, rounding it out and rendering 1t
of far wider and far deeper useful
ness.
A Word to the Nation.
"One word first to the nation and
then another word to the army. To
the nation first: 1t has we'll been said
that the surest way to invite national
disaster is for nation to be opulent,
aggressive and unarmed. (Applause)
The nation that is rich, that is SO high
spirited as to be somewhat careless of
giving offense and that yet refrains
from that preparedness which is abso-
lutely necessary if efficiency in war is
ever to be shown-such nation is lay
ing deep the foundation for humilia-
ton and disaster. AS people, wheth-
err we will or not, we have reached the
stage when we must play great part
in the world. 1t is not open to us to
decide whether or not we shall play it..
All we have to decide is whether we
shall play it 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 well. (Applause.)
Worldwide Responsibilities.
'.This nationals by the mere trend of
events been forced into a position of
world power during the past few years.
1t has responsibilities resting upon it
here in the occident and in the orient
as well. 1t cannot bear these respon-
sibilities Alright unless its voice is
potent for peace and justice. and its
voice can be potent for peace and JUS
tice only on condition of its being thor
oughly understood that we ask peace.
not in the spirit of the weakling and
the craven, but with the assured self
confidence of the just man armed.
Cloud appiause.)
$50 much for he lesson to be learned
by our people from the movement il
| which the erection of this building i:
part.
A Word to the Officers.
snow word to the officers and en-
listed men of the army. The last two
or threeiyears have witnessed notable
awakening in our people to the well,
being of the army. Our people are un'
Outstanding as never before the fac,
that the army, like the navy, will dc
we'll in war mainly in proportion as ii
has been prepared well in peace; that
after the war has begun it is too late
for us to prepare for the victory. De.
feat will come inevitably and surely il
the preparation is put off until the wal
begins, and victory will come if it has
been prepared for in time of peace anc
on no other terms.
Must BE Trained.
"Officer and man alike must be
trained to the highest point in the the
DRY and in the practice of the profes
sion. The forces of mere truism say
| that if they are trained in the theory
without the browning of practice they
will amount to nothing, but they mus
have the training and the theory too
They must have that training or the,
never can reach the highest standard
| of perfection in their art. The army
of the United States is, and it is not de
| sirable that it should be Other
than, small army relatively t.
the population of the country, bu
we have right to expect tina
that small army shall represent fol
its size the very highest point of eff
cheney of any army in the civilized
world (applause) and I have the mos
absolute faith that to that degree o
efficiency it will attain. and that it will
attain it in no small part because o
the wise and Jealous use it will max
of the opportunities afforded by tn
erection of this very building" Gou
and continuous applause.)