New-York tribune., 1907-02-17

| the machine shop luxury, desttution. compe-
tence; with brilliant. mediocre or little ability
with high moral development or with tendencies
colored by demoralizing environment; with strict
or lax views of the obligations Of truth and per-
sOual responsibility. From these are to be weod-
ed out the impossible. and of the rest to be
moulded men whose temper ~ up 10 the sIaiiu-
ard test, far any human standard can oe
established a test. Now and then faulty ma
terial will slip through and eVade all standards
for the time being-no human agency can pre-
vent this-but the final and determinativc test
for the institution is the general result
The first point in its character making -.
honor. The views OF rectitude and personal
accounta bility-of unequivocal truth telling
which have grown into the marrow of the in
stitution. which are fostered by its authorizes
and have become sacred code, have 8 foTna-
tive power impossible to be understood other than
by experience The corps ltSet Is the CIlleI cuS
todian and executive Of this tradition. and II is
this fact that makes it potent. Any code u
honor which has its root In coercion lacks vital
force. and its imposition carries neither con-
viCtion reforma tiou. The youth gathered
from the four corners of the republic who come
to West Point with many shades of habit anu
conviction regarding the protean aspects OF Il
lie met hete a. the outset hy one principle
uncompromising and stern All stiffness and
eVasion-the whole body Of Casulstry-must De
''pOlicod" once and for all; for a man caught
in q lie is damned, he has lost his caste and the
CORPS of cadets is not for him When this point
OF view Is attained by a body of men. a very
high and healthy plane of action has been
| reached. Hatred of lie is a splendid olsen
feCtant.
The next point in the ethical scale Is very nat
! urally courage. which we. who know our ethics.
understand to he divided into physical and
/ moral. West Point demands both. Tnc corps
is strenuous in its inSiStCnCe upon the physical
sine qua non. The logic Of the matter is
very Simple-War is force, and all its active sit
uatiOns demand physical bravery. a soldier is
the agent Of war therefore he must be phySi-
cally brave. Moral courage IS admirable above
physical bravery: but moral courage whose legs
run the wrong way. although II may have a
high and useful function elsewhere. has II not on
the battlefield The corps is, therefore, some
what eXacting IN its crieria in this regard, and
the corps is right.
The third point is subordinaton. The entire
existence of the cadet is ono Of subordination.
From the 'pebc' 10 the first class man" he is
duties and obligations. An order from a supc-
ror has the force of a cannon shot. To resist
IS not consistent with reason
The fourth point is hard work for every one
the unending. uncompromising exactious Of duty
from Teveillc 70 taps For four years there IS
no relaxation. only n single furlough. and tho
very rare and brief leaves Of absenCe Of "a day
or two Al Christmas and at the beginning Cf
the encampment depending upon demcrit rec
ords. Nowhere except at tho national schools
at West Point and Annapolis is so much cNactcd
from every individual from first TO last. There
Is no option; every cadet must exactly perform
every military and academic requirement, and
explain every dereliCtiOn OF duty, great small.
suffer the penalty The high value set upon
the diploma OF the academy IS shown by tho
desperate tenacity with which its students
struggle 10 remain. A resignation, except I'm tho
face Of deficiency. is almost unknown.
When its whole range OF accomplishment IS
reviewed. the work OF West Point In all fields
Of human endeavor must stand justihCa-
tion OF the system II represents. school OF
the people. controlled by the people, for the
people of the great republic. it points with con-
idcnce 20 its record n vindication Of the
trust which has been cOnfded 10 II.