The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-08

peace-a preparation, / may add,
which will in all probability prevent
any need of war. The Secretary must
be supreme, and he should have as his
official advisers a body of line officers
who shall themselves have the power
to pass upon and coordinate all the
work and all the proposals of the sew
eral bureaus. A system of promotion
by merit, either by selection or by
exclusion or by both processes, should
be introduced. 1t Is out of the ques-
ton, if the present principle of pro
motion by mere seniority is kept, to
expect to get the best results from
the higher officers. Our men come
too old, and stay for too short time,
in the high command positions.
Two hospital ships should be pro-
vided The actual experience of the
hospital ship with the feet in the
Pacific has shown the invaluable work
which such a ship does, and has also
proved that it is well to have 1t kept
under the command of a medical Of
ficer AS was to be expected, all OF
Ane dIlllClDdllOllS vi lIOuUle HUH sum
command have proved completely
baseless. 1t Is as absurd to put a
hospital ship under line oficer az
it would be to put a hospital on shore
under such a command. This ought
to have been realized before, and
there is no excuse for failure to re-
alize il now.
Nothing better for the Navy from
every standpoint has ever occurred
than the cruise of the battle fleet
around the world. The improvement
Of the ships in every way has been
than they would have gained if they
far more experience in battle tactics
than thy would have gained if they
had stayed in the Atlantic waters.
The American people have cause for
profound qualification, both in view
! OF the excellent condition of the fleet
as shown by this cruise. and in view
OF the improvement the cruise has
worked in this already high condition.
7 do not believe that there is any
other service in the world in which
the average of character and efficien-
cy in the enlisted men is as high as is
now the case in our own. I believe
that the same statement can be made
as to our officers, taken as a whole;
but there must be a reservation made
in regard to those in the highest
ranlis-as to which I have already
spoken-and in regard to those who
have just entered the service. be-
cause We do not now get full benefit
from our excellent naval school at
Annapolis. 1t is absurd not to grad.
uate the midshipmen as ensigns; to
keep them for two years in such an
anomalous position as at present the
law requires is detrimental to them
and To the service. In the academy
itself, every first classman should be
required in turn to serve as petty Of
ficer and officer; his ability to dis.
charge his duties as such should be
prerequisite to his going into the
line, and his success in commanding
should largely determine his stand
ing at graduation. The Board of Wis
itors should be appointed in January,
and each member should be required
to give at least six days service, only
from one to three days to be per
| formed during June week, which is
the least desirable time for the board
to be at Annapolis so far as benefiting
the navy by their observations is con.
cerned.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House,
Tuesday, December s. 1908.