Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-28
NEW ROUTE CHOSEN
Army Officers Not to Go Out
Sixteenth Street.
COMING EQUESTRIAN TEST
Two Days to Be Devoted to the
Ride.
EXAMINING BOARD APPOINTED
Physical Condition of Those Required
to Face the Ordeal to Be
Ascertained.
EXAMINING BOARD APPOINTED

Maj. William II. Arthur and Maj. Francis
A. Winter army surgeons duty at the
general hospital at Washington barracks,
have been appointed board to make tie
physical examinations of the field officers
on duty in the War Department who are
required to take the fifteen miles test ride
, October 8 next in accordance with
President Roosevelts order. Under the
terms of general ord II 19S, prescribing the
conditions under which this endurance test
is to be conducted every officer participant
Ing must be physically examined before
taking the ride. land any officer found to
be In such physical condition that taking
the test might endanger his life will not be
required to take the test A second phys
cal examination is to be taken Immediately
after the ride to make sure that the ofh-
GERS have not injured themselves.
The Physical Examination.
According to list prepared at the War
Department sixty field officers are eligible
for this ride, including four colonies, six
teen lieutenant colonies and forty majors.
THY will all report at the Washington
barracks for the physical examination, and
in view of the large number of officers
the board is ar XOus to Eegin Its work at
the earliest possible lHnmeLt in order TO
make sure that all i the applicants may
be passed upon before the date mentioned
in the order October ). 1t is clear from
the appearances OF some of the officers
whose names app"sI The list that they
are physically unfit fol horseback riding,
and there IS much speculation as to what
will happen t. these men. In some cases,
where the disability is not regarded as
permanent they Will be given an oppo--
tunitv to take another examination at
later date, and to make the ride alone,
or accompanied only by an officer from
Fort Myer to certify to the ability of the
rider Similar PROVISION is made for the
tests of Officers now the high seas and
in Cuba at a later date, if necessary.
But in the case of officers who fail in the
physical examination from causes indi-
ca ting permanent disability the command
ing officer of the department is required to
report their names to the adjutant general
and il is expected that sooner or later they
Will be ordered before retiring board. This
order is regarded by staff officers as bear
ing upon them with undue severity. They
are in MANY cases of SeCentary Ia bit and
are performing duties which they assert do
not in the nature Of things carry them into
the field in a campaign. They further de-
clare thai Pre- Sdent Roosevelt never intend
ed that they should he called upon for such
a test as this, and in proof thereof point to
the letter addressed by lin to the Secretary
Of War. upon which all the later orders are
founded. in which the President refers only
to Officers of the line" The general staff
and acting secretary of war, however, haV-
ing seen TT to eniargc the scope of the
Presidents purpose by including the staff
officers in their own orders, there can be no
question of the Legality OF those orders.