The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-01
IGNORE ~HORSEMANSHIP TEST
OFFICERS NOT To BE RETIRED b.
CAUSE THEY CAN'T RIDE,

That Is when Their Duties Are such That
They Are Not Required tO Ride Horses
-Omeers Ordered Before che Retiring
Board who MD Not Take Part In Tests.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 3l.-The severity Of
the physical tests to obtain promotion in
the army. which embrace the horseman-
ship trials recently made in the vicinity
Of Washington. ave beer modified to a
considerable degree, presumably with the
consent Of President Roosevelt. who was
directly responsible for the efforts to rid
the service Of officers who could not gallOp
around the country without discomfort to
themselves.
The horsemanship test has not been ths
success expected in certain high quarters.
Ever since squads Of officers were taken
on fifteen mile rides to determine whether
they should be advanced in rank the opin-
ion has been gaining ground that merely
because ar officer who wouldn't nave 90
casiOn to use a horse on actual duty once
in a lifetime cannot stand n severe strain
OF mOunte service he il not necessarily
untitled to perform valuable work for the
United States. 1t is in accordance with
this feeling that the notifications in the
physical requirements have been determined
on.
The fact that the notifications are to be
made came out to-day through the issue
Of a War Department order, by direction
of the President" for a dozen field officers
to report to the Army Retiring Board in
this city for examination. Ii was supposed
on the first appearance of the order that the
officers named in it had failed in the recent
-hOrsemanship tests. On the contrary,
none of these officers toOk part in the gsilops
through h Virginia hills for he reason
that prior to these official rides they had
been examined by surgeons and found
physically untitled for the exertiOn. One
OF them was suffering from progressive
paralysis, another had been thrown from
his horse several years ago and badly in
jured and another was recovering fron
an attack of typhoid fever. In some cases
the disability was temporary only. and it il
expected that the retiring board will in these
cases recommend that the officers con-
Cerned be advanced. The dozen officers
ordered before the retiring board are:
Col. James NJ. Marshall, Assistant Quar-
termaster-General Col. Henry l.. Harris,
Coast Artillery Corps; Col. William l.. Mar,
shall, Corps of Engineers; Lieut.. Col. viii
liam W. Robinson, Jr., Deputy Quarter
master-General; Lieut. Col. William I. Ros-
sell. Corps Of Engineers; Lieut. Col. Frank
Ts AlNFDbHV NIAlAldliIS DtIhI NIItIiL, AlAlOr
John I. French. Jr., Quartermaster; Major
James q, Warren, Corps Of Engineers;
Major George Palmer, Twenty first In
fantry; Major Harry NJ. Hallook, Surgeon;
Major Joseph T. Crabbs, Q~uartermaster;
Major Zebulon b. Vance, Fifth Infantry:
1t il found by the Retiring Board tina II
any officer in this. list Ia in good health
but not 30 proportioned or constituted
physically as to Mt him for c~ross-cOuntry
riding the horsemanshlp test will be waived.
TrnWyfhan hla hmfIR1 nrA mt GIUnh aa - -
quire him to spend most of the time ia The
saddle.
The case of Col. William l.. Marshall was
cited to-day as an example Of the injustice
that would be worked both 20 him and TO
the Government il he were retired merely
because he could not take a fifteen mile
canter. Col. Marshall Ia regarded as one
of the foremost men Of the Engineer Corps.
and that is saying a great deal. He has
charge OF river and harbor improvement
work at New York. and the important duty
Of deepening the AnDbrose Channel so that
the longest ocean greyhounds can get to
their docks in Manhattan, is under his I
supervision. There is not the slightest
occasion for Col. Marshall to ride horse
pack through the congested streets of New
York when electric cars and automobiles
are safer and better In every way, and IL is
not probable that he will ever be called
upon to take to the saddle.
Col. Marshall il built on generous lnes
and he has been so busy attending to his
duties for the Government that he hasn't |
had time TO practise horseback riding. |
To retire him. therefore. when he can per
form his duties Just az well or better without |
the assistance OF a horse. has struck some OF
the military officials as a ridiculous ex-
pedient. II the retiring board finds that |
Col. Marshall Is in good enough condition
to keep on with his present duties, the
h~orsemanship test will be waived in his
case. Inc dentally the fact has not been
overlooked that Col. Marshall, on A,5OO |
a year. 10 doing engineering work which
a certain engineer OF the requisite ability
would not undertake probably for less tho
s25,O 900 a year.
The retiring board will act under instruc-
tons TO ignore the standing OF an officer
as a horseback rider whenever IL is found
that his duties are such hat no is not re-