Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-06-10
President Taft Asked to Modify
Riding and Walking Trials.
Army, NAVY and Marine Oh1ccrs All
Protest against These Require
ments-Otbcr washing
tom Matters.

were the President soon to modify the
Roosevelt order imposing annual riding
and walking tests Tor army. navy and
! marine officers Great pressure has been
! cxerted 70 secure tho repeal or at least
! tho modification OF these requirements,
ana 1t is understood that the President
! sympathises with the movement
It has been stated BY persons interest
! ed In securing the nnnullnent of the
Roosevelt order that President Taft
would have taken this action some time
sircc, but for disinclination 10 appear
! to be running counter to too many of
the policies and fads of his predecessor
| President Taft is peculiarly we'll quail
feo to grasp the point OF view OF the
officers who object to the walking and
riding tests. He believes in exercise
taken in homeopathic doses.
The pressure to have the order modi-
fed in It's application TO naval officers is
especially strong. These officers would
not object much to the riding test,
hut the long tramp required Is exceed
| !uYly distasteful to them. It has been
pointed out that the naval regulations
, already impose requirements suficient
10 keep officers In good physical condi-
ton. The ofYcers Of this service are re-
| ported upon TWICE n year ToEarNlnE tHeIT
fitness to command. This report includes
the item Of Health" and this with the
.nnual examinations conducted by the
rurseons, will It Is argued. serve to
keep officer. up 10 the desired state Of
physical perfection.
Some of tho ambitious officers Of the
marine corps who have recently COM
r,eted the physical tests In one day. will
! - - 10 fhAaA
our accomplishments DO not constitute
compliance with the oflcial test order.
The rides or walks, a. tho case may be.
that have been completed in record
breaking time must be taken over. The
/ order provides that AN neld of1cers will
10 required to take a Hiding test OF 20
miles, the distance to be covered In thyes
days" ard that Lime of1cers Of the
marine corps in the grade Of captain or
lieutenant will be required 10 walk 80
miles. this distance to be divided into
three days actual marching time, in
cludins tests. 20 hours
! II !. held that the purpose OF the or
Ger IL to ascertain the ability Of officers
u perform forced marches during three
days time, and that the performance Of
the requirements within one day does
| not approximate the conditions pertain
.ng to n three days march.
on March %, "a and % Lieut.. Col. F.
X Cole and Major c. 8. Hill completed
their rides. starting each day from
Charleston. s. c. They made "a miles
In Ave hours and 4S minutes on the first
dny. 30 miles In hours and 81 minutes
on the second day. and 81 niles IN hours
and a minutes on the third day. Cap
tai.ns Louis NJ Gulick and Harry r.
Lay, attached TO the marine hsrrack.
Washington. -, c.. IN one day walked
rom Frederick. Nd. to the marine bar
racks, n distance OF Is miles. IN Is hours
and 81 minutes: the next dry they walk
I'd one mile IN % minut,. ana the third
day one mil. in IL minutes.
THE NAVAL DEPARTMENT.
Secretary Meyer has removed hi.
Cf'ice from tho room occupied by previ-
Gus secretaries of tho navy for the past
~ years or since Whitney's time, and
thereby hangs a tale. He has trans
(srred III. desk into the lerg. room on
the other side OF the one occupied as his
reception room and directly In the center
a. that side OF the buldins Mr.. Meyer
found that his Office was altogether too
accessible from the room OF the chief
% the bureau Of navigation TO be de-
srable coor connected the once OF
Admiral fflsbury with that OF Secre-
tary Meyer. 1t was never locked.
tn. chief OF this bureau has the same
privilege Of entering the secretary
crrcc that Is enjoyed by cabinet officers
and senators. These d!gnitaries are ush-
cred In at once without waiting. No
other bure,u chic: in the navy depart
ment has had TIL, privilege. This dis
elimination has given rise 10 better COM
paint. especially since the revival OF
the fight between the stan and line.
The peymaster general or the chief
constructor would be forced to cool their
heel. In the secretary's waiting room.
while the chief OF the bureau OF navtga-
ton would come and go without him
drsnce. II has often been cause OF
chaRrin to a chief OF stan bureau to
have his conversation with the secretary
, interrupted by the unannourced entrance
Of Admiral Pllshury. Secretary Meyer
had been in ONCE only a few weeks
when he saw the advantage OF change
OF base He moved his desk into the
large ONCE, two rooms beyond. Now all
tic bureau chief. are on equal footing,
40 far as being admitted to tbs secre-
t.ry's presence Is concerned.
MAMMALIAN PESTS,
Some OF the experts in the department
Of agriculture have been making a study
to man. They have concluded that the
,at II the most destructive. The rat de-
stroys property worth millions Of dollars
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