The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-31
PRESIDENT ADDRESSES
VIRGINIA VETERANS
DEBT OF COUNTRY TO MEN WHO
SERVED IN WAR.

Everyday Duties, as Well as ON
archaeological Due the Enlisted
Man-WOrk of the Army at San
Francisco.
Portsmouth, Va, May SO.-President
and his party arrived here
from Washington this morning. A ma
tional salute was fired as the Mayhow-
er passed Fort Monroe and again as
she entered the Norfolk harbor, the
latter salute being from the receiving
ship at the Norfolk navy yard,
Soon after his arrival, the president
addressed the Army and Navy union.
His speech follows:
This day is hallowed and sacred in
our history, for on this day throughout
the land we meet to pay homage to the
memory of the valiant dead who fell in
the great civil war. Mo other men de-
serve so well of this country as thise to
whom we owe it that we now have a
country. Moreover, the men to whose
valor we owe it that the Union was
preserved have left us a country reuni-
ted in fact as we'll as in name. They
have left us the memory of the great
deeds ad the self-devotion alike Of the
men who wore the blue and of the men
who wore the gray in the contest where
brother fought brother with equal
courage, with equal sincerity of eonvie-
ton, with equal fidelity to high ideal,
as it was given to each to see that
IDEAL
Moreover, it is a peculiar pleasure ia
speak to-day under the auspices of the
Army and Navy Union, of the Union
which is meant to include the officers
ad enlisted men Of the. regular forces OF
the United States. Exactly as there is
no other body Of men to whom in the
past we have owed so much as to the
veterans of the civil war, so there is
no other body OF men among all of oul
citizens Of to-day who as a whole de-
serve quite as well of the country as
the officers and enlisted men of the
army and navy of the United States
Every man who has served well ant
faithfully, afloat or ashore, in the ser
vice Of the United States, has shown
that he possesses certain qualltie!
which entitle him in a peculiar degree
to the respect Of all his felloW-citizens
while every men who is now in the ser
vice can not but feel himself upltttet
by the thought that in any time Of flu
ture crisis 1t may be that the honor Q
| the whole nation will depend upon hi
bearing. There rests upon each of yol
a tremendous burden of responsibility
and therefore to you belongs the prout
privilege of bearing that load OF respon
sibility well
| This audience is composed largely Q
veterans of the civil war, largely 0
men who have served in or are serving
in the army and the navy of the Uni
ted States. They are concerned no
| only with the duties of, the soldier an
! the sailor, but with the duties Of N
| civilian. with all matters affecting tn
nlain. everyday citizen as he does hi
! everyday duties. For we must Away
remember that in our country our arm
and navy are on army and navy mad
m of volunteers; all our forces ar
volunteers; our regulars. afloat an
ashore. are merely our fellow-citizen
/ who of their own free will have take
nm this particular task. The task one
through they return to the body OF GU
citizenship; and exactly as the efileien
cv Of our military service depend
chiefly upon the efficiency of the aver
age enlisted man, so the efficiency {
the nation as a whole depends chief
unon the way in which the averae
man performs his plain everyday du
ties.
This does not mean that the leade
whether in military or civil life, can es
cane bearing peculiar burden of r.
snonsibilitv. To him has been give
much and from him much will be dt
manded. 1t is right and proper thf
the man in high position, whether y
position be that of high civilian OIL
cial in time Of peace or of high mil
+arv or naval officer in time Of wa
should receive marked degree
credit If he performs his difficult, del
l.
cate and responsible task well, ar
should. on the other hand, be held
an especially sharp aceountaDlllty II
any shortcomings. In any time OF or
sic the man in high office in civil If
thA man in high command in milital
or naval life, can, if he be weak or Il
competent paralyze the actions OF
y,,,ltitude of brave and able men WI
are under him. On the other hand,
{ in intellect, and above all, in characte
he is able to rise level to the need
the moment, he may so combine al
direct the actions of the many und
him as to make their joint effort irr
| sistible. The first duty of leader CT
il or military, is to lead; and he mu
! | lead well. Exactly as the people mu
> | demand the highest grade of integri
l | and efficiency from their leaders IN CT
, il affairs. so in military affairs tn
| must insist upon every officer devoth
, all the best that there is in him Ito fl
, | ting himself In the duties of his profe
sion. TO caring for and drilling al
training those under him, so that ali
, in point Of personnel and in point
, ! materiel the army and navy of t
, United States may reach as high
, noint of perfection as is humanity pos'
HE This is the work that only t
leaders can do and if they shirk
their shame is unspeakable.
Nevertheless it remains true that
: leader can accomplish very much u
less he has the right kind of men
lead. Unless the enlisted man has t
3 right stuff in him it stands to reas