The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-06
FAT OFFICERS TO
THE REAR. MARCH!
Riding Tests viii Rid United
States Army of Men of
Generous Girth.
RECENT ORDER EXTENDED
ROOSEVELT DETERMINED TO
HAVE HIS WAY.

washington, Dec. 5.-The war de-
partment today published a general or
der issued by the president greatly ex-
tending its original order relative to rid
ing tests of officers Of the army. The
president now requires every field Off
Ger to make daily practice march OF
not less than thirty miles for three DAYS
IN succession in each year. All off,
GERS are also required to accompany
their commands on the monthly prac-
tice marches
The advanced stand taken by the
president in the matter of physically
testing the condition of officers of the
army in the face of strong persuasion
from commercial bodies throughout the
country in favor Of retention in the ser
vice of engineer and other staff officers
who, though perfectly competent to dis
charge their ordinary duties would
probably be unable to respond to the
demands of active campaign service
has filled with apprehension a number
of the senior officers of grades between
captain and colonel inclusive. Because
the president in his original letter di-
recting the riding test referred only TO
line officers, it was in some quarters
believed that he might be willing to
waive the application of such a test
to staff officers whose duties in time
of peace do not carry them into the
field. In his message to congress just
delivered the president indicated, how
ever, a contrary purpose, and the order
passed today exceeds In severity the
test originally proposed and viii prob
ably be the means of causing the sum-
mary retirement from the army of
considerable number of officers.
RooseveIt's Order.
The text of the order published today
is as follows.
white House, Washington, Dec. >,
1907: To the secretary of war; de-
sire due notice given to all officers con-
cerned that hereafter suitable physical
tests to determine their fitness for ac-
tive operations will annually be made
of all field officers Of the army. under
such regulat tons as you may prescribe.
4 sufficient number of the practice
marches of cavalry, occurring in the
fall of each year might be taken adj
vantage of to test the ability of all
field officers, except those Of sea coast
artillery, to make a daily march of not
less than thirty miles, for three days in
succession, under conditions suitable to
the aking of forced marches in ac-
tive field opera lions. Tests suitable to
the character of the service required
of them should also be prescribed IOf
field officers Of sea coast artillery.
Annual reports should also be re-
quired, under such conditions as viii
insure accuracy and thorOughness, up
on every Junior officer of the army. set
ting forth whether physically qualified
for active operations
Except when excused by higher au-
thority all officers should accompany
their commands on the monthly prac-
tee marches. and reports should be re-
quired, naming in every case any who
are unable or fail to do so, or fall out
on the march.
Appropriate action should be taken
in the cases of all officers found not
qualified physically for active service.
1t is just as much the duty of all
officers of the army to adopt such
measures and pursue such habits as
will maintain d physical condition fit
for active service, as to cultivate their
minds in fitting them for the intellec-
tual duties of their profession.
Il should also like as much encOur-
agement given to the cultivation Of
hOrsemanship in the army as may be
practicable under the law, and likewise
to have as many facilities for riding
horse back as possible afforded to in
fantry captains on government horses
until they have been made mounted Of
ficers, as in foreign armies.
"THEODORE ROOSEVELT"