The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-08-11

..s ebouId be men educated to the pro.
,oseion of a soldier. There seems to be
rretty general feeling. one hard for
~. authorities to account for by the
.y that every man is born soldier
ana that the military profession is the
univ one for which no special training ~
to reouired Gen. Winfield Scott at the
o,ose Of the Mexican war. said that II II
NOD not been for the officers of his army w
wbo we're graduates of the military IN
academy the war would have been pro- IN
,onqed for years. This praise of the in
stitution and the men whom 1t turns
mt was given by man not a graduate,
and who therefore, could not be said to
he prejudiced in favor of the institution.
The course at West Point is par
ticularly hard one and a good many ca
diets are found deficient every year gen.
orally In only one study. West Point
however differs from all other schools
of the world. There they do not strike
nm average of studies, taking all the
lessons taught in a lump For instance,
II man stands at the head of his class
in four studies, but Is little bit below
the proficient average in one study, the q
authorities throw him out, whereas in
other schools they would strike an aver !
age and give such a man a high stand IL,
ing.
The result of such a system as this
is that men who qualified for the
service in practically every way but
who may be a little lame in French or
trife off in geology or chemistry are
separated from the army to which they might
possibly be credit If an average of excellence
was struck by the authorities.
1t is quite often the that men who do
not graduate but who have had several years
training at the academy succeed in getting
commissions in the service There are no
records to show that any man who spent two
years at West Point failed to pass his exami
nation for a commission after he had been
successful in getting an appointment to the
army from civil life
Some of the boys who have been at West
Point, but have not graduated, enlisted in the
United States army in order TO get their COM
mission from the ranks When man does
so enlist he may be sent private soldier
to company In which some classmate is a
lieutenant. Now it must be remembered that
there is a deep gulf between officers and en-
listed men in the regular army, a gulf which
II is necessary to have remain fixed because
familiarity of intercourse between officers and
enlisted men would lead to lax discipline 1t
is not the case as some people seem to think
of an officer being too proud to associate with
enlisted men. The officers of the army hold
the enlisted men in high esteem. They know
that they are the backbone of the army and
they know that on their loyalty. obedience
and courage hangs success in war and the
credit of the army in peace. Every army in
the world has learned the lesson that there
must be lack of familiar intercourse in q
social way between the commissioned officers
and the enlisted men.
When a young fellow who has been a.
West Point enlsts he is likely, has beer
tn into and In
his classmates may be an officer, Then 1t Il
that curious relation results The enlisted
man meets his former classmate, whom NJ
once called Bill or Jim and with whom M
possibly roomed as a cadet and he must sim
ply salute him any other enlisted MAJ
would and pass without sign of "familla
recognition" Now this does not mean at al
That Jim or Bill does not want to speak to III
iormer classmate. 1t means simply that th
enlisted man wants to preserve his own stand
ing with his fellow soldiers and does not wan
to put his former classmate by and chance Il
an embarrassing position If the enlisted mel
Should learn that their newly enlisted telloN
was former classmate and a friend OF on
OF the officers they might think that II wa
gong to be a case of currying FAVOR on th
one side or of showing favor on the othel
The man who Is once a cadet and who enlist
= is more careful If he is built right. and h
seuerally 49, to maintain proper d'lltu"
toward the men who rank him.
I'll They tell story in Washington of youn
III fellow who came of rich parentage Dut WI
III never had been at West Point, by the way
Isl VINO enlisted in the army to get his comill
n SION He attempted to presume on the lac'
Ills wealth and he not only got the omoei
III uoWn on him, but the men as well. MS II
~ was not altogether a happy one IL can
II SAID however, that cases like that OF tn
Young man are few and far between III
man who is willing to enlist in order 10 q
us commission, generally speaking is OF sou
!M stun enough to make him willing 10 Jar
,aihgs as they come and to take rather MOI
man his share of the duties and the hardshll
VI O the enlisted men with whom he Is throw
There was once upon time cadet WIZ
uaVing spent time enough at the uhlt'
states Military academy to cover cohs'u1
IA a0le part of the course, was compelled by u
"a soVernment to sever his connection WIN u
IL elool he had hoped would prove TO MN
"S'erng mother until the end.
n This cadet, who shall be nameless peouu'
" modest desire to avoid the use Oh tne -
oun In the first person, had yearhlhs =, y
d ,'itary life. and so few years aiter eas Il
Ie academy he walked into Boston rss,
~S Office and enlisted, Several e'aSsA'''