The San Francisco call., 1905-01-17
HIGH PRAISE GIVEN WEST POINT
By AN. EXPERT IN ENGLAND
DR. DIaeuzre Scores British Ways

LONDON. Jan. 16-"At West Point
the United States has the best training
school for army officers in the world.
1t is incomparably superior to our mill
tary school at Sandhurst.'
This statement was made by DR.. 7.
Miller Mcguire. Here DR.. Mcguire is
accounted as much an authority on all
that pertains to military education as
Edison is with respect to electricity.
He has made it a life study. At his
famous private academy in Earl's
Court square he has trained more pu-
. pils for army staff examinations than
dom. Lord Wolseley has spoken of him
as ''one Of the ablest lecturers on mill
tary history and the art of war we
have in England" Lord Roberts has
extolled his military knowledge in
equally hattering terms.
In what respect is West Point so
far ahead Of the great English military
school" was asked. He replied:
In everything that counts for efficiency. and
there IS not a general in the British army
who taxes his profession seriously from Lord
Roberts down, who is not aware OF 1t. The
course al West Point lasts four years, instead
of three, as at Sandhurst. and the training
IS far more thorough and severe being based
a profound appreciation of the requirements
of modern warfare and the demands 1t makes
on cultivated intelligence The discipline is
rigid and the penalties for offenses are in
flexible.
Social distinctions are not tolerated. Rich
mems sons and poor mems stand on the
same level Each is made TO feel equally that
shirknG o; duties and neglect of studies Is
fatal. From the start the West Point cadet
IS impressed with the idea that keenness in
ell things IS essential. Unless he is thorough
high standard demanded at the half-yeariy
examinations. he is dismissed. Muddling
through is impossible. Accomplishments and
courtesy and manly exercises are preferred to
silly boorlsh games.
ACADEMY'S- BROAD TRAINING.
1t is conceivable that a dufer may get into
wis. though history and geography are OBJ
lgatory, but it is absolutely impossible that
duffeI can come out OF it as an officer In the
United states army. Not only is the training
adapted to give him the knowledge necessary
for the profession Of arms, but, what is equally
important, to develop the necessary character.
1t is because these things happily
combined at West Point that | rank it even
higher than Germanys military training
schools for officers. which. regards eff
cheney. approach nearest to it, though Baron
Sumeyatsa has given a full statement of
japanese education that is startling in its
spirit and excellence.
Very different. unfortunately. is the state
of affairs Sandhurst, which is practically
a preserve for rich mems sons. Its condition
was revealed in the report OF the Akers-
Douglas Commission. appointed to consider
the education and training of officers of the
army. Their report showed that cadets had
little inducement TO work at Sandhurst and
instructors little inducement to teach Most
of the military textbooks in We're found
to be antqudted and obsolete. There
.fnsstence on a high standard of proficiency
To get through with little trouble as pos
sible was the dominating idea. Neither as re-
CARDS knowledge nor character was the train
ing of the kind necessary to produce compe-
tent officers.
| have had officers come to me for instruc-
tion-rich mems and former pupils of our
much vaunted public schoos-who told me
they were ashamed of being dependent on 9TH
ers TO write their reports for them and show
them how to perform their duties
Although the Akers Douglas report was
hinCz
improved a bit. In some respects they are
even worse than they were then. II anything