The San Francisco call., 1905-01-17
CAUSE OF DISASTERS.

The general deplores the fact that officers
neglect to keep their military knowledge up
professions have to do. He describes the re-
suits of the examinations In military engineer
Ing tactics and topography as indifferent.
the candidates generally failing to appreciate
the situations in the problems given them to
solve, the majority OF them ignoring the en-
ligence'
1t is appalling to reflect what disasters such
incompetency as is here shown would lead US
into II we were engaged in war with first
class power--with Russia, for instance, for the
possession OF IndaA
1t should be borne in mind that the short
comings to which General Hutchinson calls at
tention indicate not merely defective military
training. but imperfect elementary education.
The report. therefore constitutes quite as much
an Indictment OF our swell public schools
Elton. Harrow. Rugby and such places where
the classes from whom our officers are drawn
are chiefly educated-as of the instructions
where they receive their professional training.
Owing tc the shortage of officers caused by
the casualties of the Boer war. many young
gentlemen-graduates. most OF them, of these
public schools-receiyed commissions without
passing the usual examinations. In India large
numbers of them, according to an official re-
port, were found to be so wanting In element
airy education to be incapable of receiving
the ordinary garrison instruction. Many of
them therefore. had to have recourse to the
regimental schoolmasters to remedy the defects
of expensive educations. which had left them
that are obligatory In the higher grade classes
of the board schools. as we term our free
schools. Surely no more humi1iating report
was ever issued about the officers of army.
AMERICAS SUPERIOR MEN.
Napoleon appraised the relative value of
brain power and physical power in warfare at
three to Taking into account the enor-
nous strides that have since been made in the
applicatio of science to war, Lord Roberts now
estimates IL ten to one. And yet we con-
tinue to bestow commissions in the army on
smen who not only ignorant of all scientific
know ledge, but likewise of the very rudiments
of an ordinary education. The officer class is
not to blame. 1t has camored for general and
technical education for the last fifteen years,
but social influences and false economy
against any reform.
The fact is our ruling classes-products OF
the same system Of defective education and
men for the most part quite incapable of earn
ing their own livings in any industrial COM
Inercial pursuits-are hopelessy incompetent
man, TIE members OF the American Cabinet
are greatly superior to ours. They practi
cal men, who have demonstrated their ability
by achieving success in business professional
life before they received their high appoint
ments You pay them on " 5Sts0 a year each
We pay over three times as much. Yet
when Elihu Root comes over here to settle the
Alaska boundary question he easily scores
our high saaried law officials.
IT. after America has brought her navy up
to the high standard which she aims at we
should ever have the misfortune to go to
with her-which God forbid!-she would flatten
us out like pancake!