The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-28
URGES STUDY OF
 TOGO'S TACTICS
President Roosevelt Issues Let
 ter to Secretary of War
MEN MUST BE PREPARED
They Win Not Be Effective In War Unless Thorough Preparation Has Been Made In Time
 of Peace.

Washington. February 27.-President Roosevelt has addressed to the Secretary of War, who has promulgated the same in a general order, a letter reciting the achievements of the Japanese admiral Togo. during the late war between Japan and Russia. and repeating for the benefit of American soldiers and sailors the ad- dress issued by that admiral upon the conclusion of the war The point of the Presidents letter is the necessity of keep ing the personnel of the army and navy at the highest pitch at time of peace in order to be prepared for war.
 The text of the Presidents letter is as follows:
 'The White House, Washington, D. C.,
 February 21. The Secretary of War;
 "In the recent war in the east Ad- miral Togo took his place among the great sea fighters of all time. His mes sage to the united squadron which he commanded on the occasion of it's dis persal at the close of the war, Is so noteworthy that deem it proper to have 1t inserted in a general order of the de- partment.
 Qualities the Same Everywhere. "The qualities which make a formidable fighting man on sea or on shore and what they require to make a formidable army or navy, are the same for all nations The individual must have the fighting edge; there must be in them courage determination. individual initiative, com bined with willingness to learn subordi- l r,I ,l dress, in order that they may form the stuff out of which in the aggregate, good armies and nayies are made, but in ad diton to these. there must be prepared ness-there must be thorough training in advance.
 Ever at attention, officer and enlisted man, whether serving In the army or navy, should keep ever before his eyes the fact that he will not be fit thorough l " to do his work in the event of war, unless in peace he has thoroughly done 1 the work of preparation for war. If in | peace. the soldier and the sailor abandon 1 Themselves to ease and sloth, when war | comes they will go down before rivals l who have been less self-ndulgent Nor is 1t only the men of the army and navy who should constantly remember these
 
 l like ours the army and navy can be only l so good as the mass of the people help | them to be. The citizens of our country l owe it to themselves and to their child- ren and their children's children that there shall be no chance of having the national honor tarnished, the national | flag stained with aught that is dscredit- l able.
 Must Exercise Forethought.
 "The men of the army and the navy l in any great crisis such as even the most peaceful nations may at times have to face will be those upon whom the l pecial responsibility will rest for keeping l the nations honor bright and unsulied. l They cannot do this If the nation does not exercise forethought on their behalf. We must have an adequate navy and an ade- quate army in point of size they must l be provided with the most effective me- | chanism in the form of weapons and l other material; above all they must be | given every chance in times of peace to | train themselves so that they may be adopts In handling the mechanism. and 1 be fitted in body and in mind unflinch- 1 ingly to endure the tremendous strain | and bear the tremendous responsibility | of war"
 The President here quotes the address of Admiral Togo. omitting he says, cer- tain allusions having no bearing on our | conditions, and concludes as follows: 'I commend the above address to every | man who is or may be part of the l fighting force of the United States, and | to every man who believes that if ever, unhappily. war should come, it should | be so conducted as to reflect credit upon l the American nation.
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT"