Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-15
RESULTS Of NEW WAR
WOULD BE Terrible
SECRETARY DICKINSON DE-
cLAREs CLASH AT ARMS
WOULD BE sTuPENDous.
NATION IN LlMELIGHT
AS FlRsT.cLAss POWER
Hostillties With Another Big Nation
Would Be Quick, Decisive and APP
paiIins Secretary Addresses Grad
uates Of West Peint-ExtoIs Great
mes. Of War-Made Presirents.

ness Of War-Made Presirents.
West Point, N. z, June 15-The com
mencement exercises OF the United
States military academy today was
held In front Of the battle monument
on historic Trophy Point Brtgadier
General Howe first addressed the ca
dets. He was followed by Secretary
Dickinson. The exercises concluded
with a presentation by Dickinson Of
second lieutenants commissions to
eighty-two graduates
West Point, N. Y. juno 16.-Our
past wars were crudely waged com
pared with what war would be now,
said Secretary Of War Dickinson to
day in an address to the graduating
class at the United States Military
Academy. Specialization and teoh-
nique," the secretary declared. ARE de-
manded In military affairs as ine1or-
ably as in art, manufacture. commerce
transportation. education. medicine,
law, and indeed in every department
Of human activity.
I'VE have come into the International
limelight and have assumed the re-
sponsibilities Of a first class power. If
we should engage in hostihties with
any nation OF respectable strength the
clash would be quick and stupendous.
Our commanders, unless the war shall
endure long enough to forge out OF
crude metal thunderbofts OF war. must
already hevssbesn trained In away that
surpqssess a conceptions of military
education entertained quarter Of a
century back. From these conditions.
we may expect, II we shall have wars.
that men trained in che school Of the
soldier win be in the future, and per-
haps even more than they have in the
past, potential both In our military
Z and civil administration. WHAT. there
TORE. should moro profoundly engage
our care than the education Of those
who more certainly than any other
class OF our citizens of equal number
will affect our national life?
This day, thatSmakes such an event.
full period In, the careers Of SO many
who Will be in line for leadership Of
our armies and perhaps high civic Of
fcers, does not pass inheeded by the
American people. Our army and navy
schools are looked to with pride and
inspire hope. These sentiments are
fully justified by what these great in
stitutions have done for the nation.
With them are linked the names of
many whose fame is a priceless heri
tage to our people.
War q Test Of the People.
'~The histories Of countries deal large
ly with the record Of their wars" said
Secretary Dickinson in opening his ad
dress. Like self-registering ther-
nometer, they seem to record the high
est and lowest stages OF excellence of
the elements that constitute vigorous
national life. Au that Is good and all
that is bad are revealed in the cru
cial test Of a war that taxes to their
limit the resources of a people"
'Tt Is not unjust to estimate a people
by the qualities displayed by their mil
itary chieftains, not merely in war but
within the sphere of influence occu-
pied by them In consequence Of military
leadership Judged by this standard,
the American people have experienced
exceptional felicity. Every great war
generals of exceptional ability and
C1dIdClCE. sI<e1eIA AdS OSCIA LoAlO WCu NY
tine immediat elevation of a military
hero to the highest OFFICE It is the
unparalleled glory Of our country that,
unseduced by the temptations afforded
by their military renown, their hold
upon the popular affections and the
blinding incense offered up by f1atter-
ers, they hold the military in subjection
to civil authority, and returned to the
people, their high trust unsulMed by
any public or private act that could
alarm them for the safety Of their in
stitutions or bring them national
shame.
War-Made Presidents.
1.-The war Of xthe revolution elevated
to the presidency Washington, that Of
1912 Jackson, that with Mexico Taylor,
that between the states Grant, and
that with Spain Roosevelt.
'sWhere will you find in the history
of any people such record of private
and public virtue as has been shown
-by our military men who have held the
chief magfstracy? Their fortune was
exceptional, but not their qualities,
among the soldiers Of whom they were
exponenfs. There must be an apex to
every pyramid, but because it is high
est It does not necessarily differ in
essentials from that by which 1t is
sustained. There were many Others in
ali OF these wars who discharged great
trusts with exceptional abilities. who
had tho highest qualities OF manhood.
who. tho less conspicuously, acted their
mart during and after hostilfties Just
as patriotically, and pore with honor
a1rl1 civic trusts to which confidence
largely inspired by their military ser
, ,v,ces raised them Hero worship,
rounded on the noblest feelings in our
nature always has, and unless the his
tory Of the world since It began shall
be reversed and the profession OF arms
shall lose its prestige. always Will,
especially IN great crisises, ifaAs our
soldiers potential in our national lie.
not merely for defense but in the adj
s 5sninis<ration Of government
.WAen The crucial time shall come,