The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-01-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Ever since the command from the
White House went forth that army and
navy officers would be required to under
go mild physical endurance Test there
have been mufaed protests. AS a usual
thing army and navy men over forty
years old do not keep themselves in
training and it is suspected that major
ity OF them after horseback ride of ten
or fifteen miles would experience cousid.
cradle fatigue and soreness. The test re.
CURED by the President was horseback
ride of ninety miles in three consecutive
days, pretty severe test for soft men Of
middle age, the majority of them weigh.
ing perhaps two hundred pounds, but
what right has an army officer to weigh
two hundred pounds? The man weigh.
ing that much is probably not in good
health and has spent too many years
since be was thirty in sedentary eating
and drinking. He is too heavy for an
ordinary horse, and extraordinary horses
are hard to find. A rider in practice has
an indurated seat and can easily ride
thirty miles day not only for three con.
secutive days but for ten or thirty. Well,
the groans and the protests of the cap.
tains, colonels and majors came 10 the
ear of the President and he determined TO
show them what the Commander in Chief
of the Army and Navy could do and to
that end one day last week he got up
between three and four O'Clock in the
morning, mounted his horse and with
three companions rode to Warrentou,
Virginia. where he ate luncheon and,
after rest of half an hour, rode back to
the White House, arriving about eight
o'clock at night. having covered the
round trip, distance of ninety.eight
miles; in other words, having ridden in
one day eight miles more than he has
required regular army and navy officers
to ride in three days. The President
weighs two hundred pounds but he is
tough and as hard as nails He has been
riding constantly for years probably
about eighteen miles day and was OF
course in training. There can be no
doubt but that there is too much effem.
macy and softness among officers both of
the army and of the navy. Mr.. Roose-
welt doubtless remembers the striking
example of General Shafter who was in
command of the Cuban army sentlin mid.
summer to Cuba. The immensely stout
old General weighed probably three
hundred and fifty pounds, but in the way
of baggage he was like three hundred
and fifty ton milestone around the neck Of
the army. His headquarters were miles
in the rear of the army and there on
couch, groaning with govt, he sweltered
in the humid tropical July climate.
The lives and the treasure lost to the
country through promotion by seniority
OF unfit men will never be known. The
only road to PHYSICAL fitness is through
exercise and abstemiousness. There can
be no sufficient exercise without Austen.
iousness. Rockefeller's doctor has lust
predicted that the multi millionaire will
live to be hundred years old because as
he says. "he takes great deal of exercise
in open air and always leaves the table
hungry" OF course the doctors proph-
esy is not proved but it may be assumed
that Rockefeller has about as good
physician and as wise as money will buy
and this hint and suggestion in the way
of preventive medicine is one that every
reader may note aud profit by without
paying the bill that Mr.. Rockefeller
doubtless pays his doctor.