The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-04
The Army as a Career.

The Army as a Career.
It seems strange to Brigadier-G General
WILLIAM H. CARTER, U. s.. A, who dis
cusses the army as a career in the current
number OF the North American Rertetc,
that the leisure GLASS in this country does
| not follow the example of the correspond
ing element in British society and send
its sons into the army and navy. The
reason cannot be found in want of patriot
ism, or in indifference to military rank
and distinction; one'has only to run over
the list of volunteers for service in the
war with Spain to see that the old fam
lilies and the newly rich families which
constitute the so-called leisure class
were well represented ever in the ranks.
With the conclusion Of peace there was a
subsistence of interestln the army, and in
most cases the young soldiers Of wealth
and family returned to their Office desks
or resumed their places in fashionable
society, because the army did not prom
Use a career which was attractive to
them.
Caste and tradition account for the
devotion Of the leisure class in England
to the military service of both arms. A
commission in the army or navy gives
the holder a superior social status such
as is not conceded in the United States
to rank in either service; and there are
many families distinguished for the
achievements Of their ancestors in the
wars that England has waged in every
part Of the world, so that it Is a matter
Of pride to be represented in the military
service by at least n member OF the
family. Such a sentiment does not exist
in America outside Of the army itself,
and it is not general eve in the army.
An officer sends his son to West Point,
if he can, not because he wants him to
perpetuate his own pride in the service
and add lustre to the family name, but
because there is nothing better for the
boy to do. There may be exceptions,
but they are not numerous or striking.
Moreover, the British service holds out
more attractions than the American. The
standing army is four OF five times as
large. and little wars are Of frequent
occurrence, while the responsibilities Of
command are greater. Captains of bat
tleships and Generals of brigade under
so are not so much the exception in
England.
General CARTER does not make out a
strong case for the army as a career in
America, rather the contrary. He adj
mits that promotion under normal con-
ditions is extremely SLOW" the present
pay table is thirty years old and ought
to be adjusted to the increase in living
expenses, and service in the Orient is an
embarrassment to an officer with a family
to support. 1t is no compensation o
advantage that since the United States
became a world Power there has been
thrust upon Junior subalterns the deter
mination Of grave questions involving
diplomacy, commerce and the law, inter-
national, civil and criminal" In the
British service such responsibility would,
II efficiently discharged, bring promo
ton and honorable mention; seldom so
In the American service.
Not for a moment would we decry, OF
say anything to undervalue, the army
as a career in America. The wonder is
that it is so splendid a service, for the
rewards Of moderate success in business
and the civil professions are dispropor-
~tionately larger, and by tradition this Is
a peace loving country, In which the
soldier has no place except for defence.
In the process Of time and as the inter-
ests Of the country extend, the army as
a career will become more attractive.
1t should be said that the present plan
Of promotion and pay schedule are not
in keeping with our growing importance
as a world Power.