The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-24
RAM ~ FHE ARM.
teasiltlpaa That Have Cau.rd lSas - Ne
sDecs tor % and lmpalrrSi Deseaplane.


CaaaS,Isus That Have Cau-~d lass % Ne
sDecs Tor % and lmpalrrSi Dsseip,ane.
Rank is the fOundst ton of all military
organization. the conversions Of military
command. and the basis Of that great factor
m war the discipline ~ the troops.
/ We'll known a. this axiom L., there has
nevertheless bs~n q growing lack Of respect
| for rank In our army. especially aimee the
war with Spain. due largely 20 the CITY that
We need Young officers In our high COM
mands and the tendency. at one time very
apparent. Of selecting only young men for
/ theee posts. not to mention ths recent
efforts to secure legislation for promotion
/ by selection or an elimination bill or a bill
/ 10 retire ofncer~ In case they do not reach
q certain grade Of rank when they have
reached a certain age. a Eed for each grade
All this has led "a a feeling among some
/ Of the younger officers that there " no limit
tn the rank that ono may aspire tn. and
among the Older Officers that rank and past
services count for little or nothing In oou-
| partson With more recent deeds, however
| insiRnihcant in comparison
The idea that young blood 10 needed In
the army has also led tn -oms wrong con
I Cep'ions regarding appointments tn the
higher grades. totally disregs riding rank.
Disregard for rank In making promotions
naturally leads IN a loss of respect for that
] clement OF mlAlfANk ORGANIZATION F~pfsaNN
t u that disregard ~ radical ,as ~ has heen
IN several we'll known ra-e~l
3 Youth and the energy that generally
goes with ~ are undoubtedly Advanta Reous
I ~ an army but experience and Judgment
are al~o Qualities not Ia he neglected.. The
desire for young blood In our comma nders
! - not in itself wrong on the contrary II
I IL most desirable " all other conditions are
4 equal. but the exaggerated form II has
= "a ken IL certainly detrimental 10 the service
] and has brought into n = spirit of unre-,
aud of wrong conceptions and unworthy
/ ideals
/ IN every army hut ours rank IL fully
respected and promotion tn any grade
/ - always from the next lower grade and
not from several grades below. But In
these foreign armies there IL p'ill seller
| ton in a sense. h~csuse not every ofi"er
- promoted to higher grade. and yet
every one that h promoted carries with
him the experience acquired in all the grades
below and the Judgment that necessarily
goes with his rank. No army hut our Own
/ fails tn utilize fully its older and oonss-
auently more experiences oficeru
when oricerS have served for long years
! in the army With good records the one idea
IN our army nov adAys seems to BE- IN retire
them, " possible. long before their time IN
order to bring young blood to the top. On the
. supposition that young blood - better for
] effglenGN. me COUNTY AnlNaAN 10 ls'i-
/ fectly willing 10 lose the experience ana ripe
Judgment % these officers. for whi~h " hAs
spent much Government money. in order to
| put the command 90 it- aTmieS IN Younger
hands.
There n another point to ~ considered IN
the appointments NJ young Officers ~ high
commands. which In. that the Yry obie-t of
the advocates % this system. namely, pro-
motion. u virtually defeated inAsmuch a.
/ further promotion Co the grade h stopped
for a long tiEns. u tho system were carried
| TO the extreme and only young oficers were
! appointed. all promotion would be stopped
for the time being. Moreover. these ofncer~.
however young when appointed. will all grow
old In time. and there y no legal way 90 keep
ing up the supply Of young officer m these
higher grades.
! Tho present are % retir~men' In the army
is a. ~ ~ h necessary tn have the are n
oFrcers in all grades lower than tho average
, ~ present this minimum retiring age should
he reducsd. This appears 10 be tho only
logi~al solution Hut no complaint has basu
made on thai sore. and - appears 10 30 a
fair average retirtnR are. and The average
ages for the various grades ~ rank rr-ulting
thsrefrorn have not proved unsaitSfSTtoTN
In making appointments to 'he higher
grades eficiensv - the only true criterion
amt youth - only ans element In The cate
CORY ~ qualities that 60 - make m en-
a
ant tntslls-tuai elements n we'll - mere
phvsi'Al and Napoleon hirn@eh has stated
thai The mora! - 20 the phvSio al a. three 10
one
This anna rent disregard for rank bv The
higher authorities ~ Fe'ent year~ has be~n
'he ,suzs 81 the los- ~ respect Tor ~ in tho
arm, Fortuuatei, the present Adniui.-
'ration has .nuvu No such tnudsu'v and the
result has h~eu q more settled and stable
condition ~ tho army and 'sudcr'v 30
return 10 the feeling that peryHdrt nc Old
army Nhcn rank Vas duiy re~psrt~d Ns,
thsi"S- the feeling 81 unrest still EXISTS
du. ~ tho CAUSES that have acted sin~s the
var with spain. aud more recently duo -
tho enoFts 10 PASS an sltrrtuR'io bill 80 n
HIT tor proulotton by sra, ttoH The feel
ING - very general that such = hill ,ap re-
Suit only IN T,olittcql intrigue MT viii No, -
Z -@ry" the purpoHe ~ h. intended 90 serve
NAMELY. 10 effect tho -.i~citou ~ fhe most
eNi,ieut. morally, intellectually and phy-i-
. |'ttlt for promotion II would hs b~'ter
~ abandon al 'he-e schemes a. present md
re-'Or. 10 The army tho old feeling of
tcuTtTl ha -et on respect for rank aud 10
'ha' thi- feeling implies. giving up The or
; ron"pu- idea REGARDING youth and promo
tom no Inelv. that youth 10 necessarily more
efficient than inst uTe age. or hist sx-eed-
lingly rapid promotion Il essential for the
life ~ an army, and accepting a. proper ~
: both these respects y hat me nihtAfy worli
namely normal rate adequate 10 insure
I -,iffiri..uf time In ea"h grade aud YET not
, | - much ~ 60 xii all interest and ambition.
. army ~ well ~ confidence In the Govern
uisnt hscsu-s rank IL the mark of ability.
experience and Judgment
whistler. VashsS
To wv FprroE ~ TuE sITS'N In N day ,