The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-01
THE DETESTED HIKE AGAIN
ARMY AND NAVY OFFICERS
on THEIR ANNUAL TEST.

nnee Going On an Over the world
Its Humors and lts Victims Made
AfOOt o. On Bicycle o. HOrSebAuA.
WASHINGTON. April SO-Passsngers At
the Union Railway station on a recent
rainy afternoon saw with curiosity an odd
couple. one a shortish stout man with q
black sombrerO the other. nearly = Foo4-
taller. in a long capped rainOoat and
shabby brown felt hat. who walked hack
and forth the length Of the front corridor
for nearly three hours. apparently uncon-
scious Of the interest they excited. A.
they walked they talked. laughed. paused
now and again for a moments ANXIOUS
look az the rainy sky. once or twice care
fully timed their walk from end 70 end OF
the corridor. a matter of nearly 7OO yards,
and finally they left the station by q navy
yard car
The shorter Of the two was q naval
of3cer making his annual fifty mile hike;
his companion was a civilian who shared
the adventure Having begun the hike
in the fair weather Of the day before In
the open. the pair continued IL under
cover on the second day. when rain madS
walking in the open uncomfortable. The
ffty mile hike 10 a specially hated relic
oE the Roosevelt policies. and Officers Of
the army and navy the country over. In
the colonial possessions and wherever
American men 81 war sail the seas or he
in alien harbors are now making ready 20
comply with the requirements upon this
subject for the second time.
Army and navy circles are full Of stories
a. 20 the adventures and misAdventures
of the hike last year and this. The regu-
latiOn has caused morn profanity than any
other incident in the history Of the navy
axcept perhaps the stoppage Of the grog.
| Il has counted a good many victims.
AZ many a. seven naval officers have
been in the hospital at one time. some in
consequence Of physical defect brought 70
hight in the preliminary examination.
some in consequences Of those immediatsiy
superinducsd by the hike itself. Several
men have received permanent injuries
and good many have been retired az q
result of the test
In spite Of the fact that the hike pro-
vokes bitterness. IL also brings out plenty
Of humor. The test may be taken afoot.
on horseback or on bicycle. An oftiCer
who was encountered riding thirty miles
a day around the speedway Of the Potomac
Park was advised by a friend % 90 elss-
where and make his total Of ninety milea
by some picturesque highway.
HE'LL said the faithful but impatiene
rider. -it amt scenery I'm looking for.
but 20 get this darned stunt finiahedl'
An Admiral who had walked his atty
miles said with sigh on the evening Of
the third day: We'll. thank heaven.
that's done for this year. though don't
know whether I'm qualified 20 bs an
Admiral or an army mule
| sOh.- said a heartless companion 10
arms. AN Admiral. Of course. You'd
ken the other test long ago.
The surgeons reported In the casa Of
ona of9oaT that HE heart was In such q
condition % forbid his taking the hike.
but bis energetic wife overTuled the medi-
cal decision and sent her husband out upon
his trial.
This feat Of physical endurance is sur
rounded by pOmp, Circumstances and oln"'
cial formality. When an officer decades
70 take the annual hike he announces hia,
intention % the proper superior. and "
he means tn take Il afoot he indicates
the intended limitation Of his walk for
each Of the three DAYS. Then he h ordsr~a
before a board Of surgeons for examinA-
ton. and that examination is made sye-
ternatically and thoroughly. This Incl
dent n the hike Ia particularly offensive,
aspaciallv ~ the seniors
N the examination reveals nothing that
makes the undertaking WnWise the IN
tention ~ Tie ofiioer is approved. II
minor and easily durable defects cone 10
HFht the nficar IL ordered 70 the hospital
Tor treatment or for an operation. II tho
defects arp, Of a permanent character the
examination NAV lead % the oliicer'e
retirement In theory nobody from the
ensign ~ the Admiral NhO u physically
NJ for the test NAV escape n, but there
are cynical persons In hoth arms 81 the
service Who hold that anv man with the
proper kind ~ pull can evade the haze.
There are some prosperous looking on
GERS II apparently good health who by
one means m another have managed thus
far 20 postpone the physical test.
According IN the conditions ~ the h he,
he that undertakes IN make ~ aioot snust
go fifty miles IN three consecutive days.
within twenty hours waking time. 70
which twenty hours are n 10 included
, NAV allow himself On anv dav. In order
20 accomplish the task therefore a man
must make an average n nearly three,
miles an hour
| With an average ~ nearly seven hours
walking day the walker must take out
some Of hls time daily for the midday
meal II he hAcomes disabled an one
day from defective shoes or u stopped in
his walk by a downpour n ram IN which
he cannot safely remain afoot IN the
op@n he NAV have n concentrate a large
part Of hrs walk upon two days instead
Of three
Some men rather than lose the record
made on tho first day will plod on for
hours in the rain IN the second and third.
An in the casa NJ the Officer whose per-
Torrance a. the Union Station attracted
attention. some man manage 10 do large
part II thar fftv miles under cover. Ona
did II on TIE deck ~ = moving ship
Al over Washington men are encoun-
tered upon the annual hiks 4 favOIits
walk IL along the towpath Of the canal 20
macaiarnizsd road toward Baltimore.
Some men take the entire walk by the
speedway. and others have taken a good
nart of Il under shelter ~ the cloistersd
way az the Marine barracks.
All the great avenues ~ Washington
are used by the walkers on the hike or IN
preparation for n. and officers meet
one another upon these occasions with =
knowing grin and a cynical word. The
| younger men for the most part do the
stunt with comparative ease Ofdcern
above 80 find the task irkEome. and com
paratively few ~ the senio come through
Il without discomfort II has been necee-
sary in some instances IN stop and masaaGa
a walker on tho roadside. Not a few Og
the seniors who actually accomplish the
stunt need special attention for days or