Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-09-09
THE REGULAR ARMY
ITS WIDE OPEN DOORS.

BY LIEUT.. COL. ]. A. WATROUS, .. ). A.
1t is a strange and at the same time
an unfortunate fact that the general pup
lie does not seem to be well informed
relative to the regular establishment OF
the American army, and what is stranger
still and more regrettable is the fact that
the general public not only does not APP
preciate the value of the army, but Is
inclined to criticise it, find fault, regard
it as rot very necessary and to look
npon it as an expensive luxury. This re-
malk should lie qualified with the state
meut that such seems to be the attitude
of tie geI cral public toward the regular
army except when a state or nation
nee is the services of that army. Then
the whole people, apparently, are ANXIOUS
to show their appreciation and admlra-
ton. Then they see how important 1T IS
to have at least a nucleus of an army.
skilled in the profession, in soldiershlp, to
assist in creating a substantial volunteer
army. to act at once in defense OF the
flag and country.
1t NAV seem matter of little inn
portance to the great public of this ma
ton of ours, with its population OF more
than eighty millions, to appreciate, to
commend, to look upon as necessary, to
have confidence in and respect for the
regular army. But in the eyes of the of
fcers and n en- of that army such appre-
citation, such respect, such confidence
would be of rare value. The best minds
of the country, the greatest statesmen,
the people best informed would not listen
for a moment to a proposition to dis
pense with regular army of reasonable
proportions. A nation like ours cannot
afford to dispense with such an army, or
reduce it to ridiculous proportions.
We may pass through hundred years
without war emergency, yet no Ameri-
can citizen, no matter how wise he may
be, how great a statesman he is, how far
into the future he can look, can say that
within the next hundred years we shall
not be compelled to defend the Union
and its flag, to engage in war several
times. All good citizens hope that there
will be no such necessity, but, as intelli
gent people, citizens of the first nation
of the earth, we have no moral right to
claim permanent freedom from war and
to advocate lack of preparation to meet
war when it is forced upon us.
In the estimation of a vast number of
the people, the nation and all of its citi-
zens should take as much interest in sus-
tanning an army and navy as it takes in
the matter of internal improvements, in
the payment of just debts, in the up
building of educational institutions and
in the general advancement of civiliza-
ton. Until the good Lord gives the
world a new type to human nature, there
is no certainty that there will not be
somewhere, at some time, threatenings of
war and actual warfare.
The remark is often made, by the un-
informed, that the army is most UNI
suitable place for a promising, ambitious
boy or young man; that by entering it
he thereby cuts off all chance for adj
vancement; that he thereby becomes Il
mere machine, nonenity. All over the
country there are men and women whose
conversation and general course of con-
duct tends to the Encouragement of
young men who may have contemplated
entering the army. Such course is not
Only unwise but unpatriotic; and the
statements that they make are not based
en- facts. Hundreds of splendid officers
III the American army, as it exists today,
and as it has eN ~ted the past seventy
five years, have come from the ranks, as
private soldiers. Every year large
number of young men who because of
their good sodiershlp. their faultless
| habits. industry in qualifying themselves,
and their general good conduct, are made
| commissioned officers. The door to pro-
motion and advancement. even to the
highest rank in the army, that of the po-
s!hon of lieutenant general is open to
the private soldier who is willing to win
his way to the prize.
Some time ago a gentleman who was in
1 the habit of discouraging his Young
friends from enlisting in the army made
use of the expression: what is there
for the private soldier to look forward
to, to hope fory" My answer was, THE
highest honors that can come to anyone
IN our American military life the road
/ Is clear and wide and free to all; the
/ door swings open to onyone who con.
tends for and wins the prize. prize for
/ winch all i'll the army are at liberty To
! contest"
Then | gave him some illustrations. 7
/ named several colonies. lieutenant col
onels, majors and Il large number of can
tains. first lieutenants and second lien.
tenants who had enlisted As privates.
some of them going from the farm. the
lumber camp, the village, the city, the
common school. the college. the factory
and the ranks of railroad builders. They
we're men who had entered the army and
won prizes in time of peace. | informed
him that there We're many Young men
entering the army in all parts of the
country, Young men of the right stamp.
who would pass on and win official
honors in the same worthy way, and that
TINS sort OF moving up was going ON