Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-17
SCHOOL CLOSES.
Infantry Officers Terminate
Successful Tour.
Efficiency The Main Object
Sought by GuaTdsmen.
Officers Pay Respects to Governor
Plaisted-.compIiment Paid.

Today will mark the close of the
third annual school of instruction for
the infantry officers of the I'd Regiment
of this State under the supervision of
officers of the regular army detailed
by tie war department. That the
school has been one of the best i'll
point of attendance, interest displayed
and the most prolific, would be saying
the least. The time of camp was rath-
er short and tremendous amount of
work was crowded i'll the short space
carly morn and late at night-With
no recess periods and short time for
meals found the officers necessarily
plugging and demonstrating tactical
problems and administration affairs
The weather during the tour in camp
has not been of the ideal brand. but
aside from an occasional downpour of
rain it has been comfortable for health
and affording good sleeping conditions,
which was noticeable tonic for a
days work.
After the subsiding of the noiseless
and bloodless battles and engagements
and the men return to their homes
with a fund of knowledge on war prep
DIT d tdSl u tie Ils1Atoueti etitb
State governments, the uninterestea
and uninformed citizen will conJure
the cause of all this war preparation
is war imminent, is not our present ma
tiopal fighting force. supplemented
with well-organized militia and un
limited reserves to draw from, sufft-
eient to whip any army in the world
All this can be best answered by q re-
cent article in leading magazine by
Gen. James A. Drain on Our National
Weakness from Military Standpoint"
as follows: "A nation which is actually
prepared for war can maintain peace
for herself and other nations without
such preparation she can be forced into
war against her will. The nlainest
plan to preserve peace is preparation
There are compensations in the life
Of a National Guardsman. A military
training makes a stronger. better man
of him in every way. He stands
straighter and has better control of
himself and others: and best of all. the
flag of his country talks to him in
familiar language with every wave or
its beautiful folds. after he has borne
arms beneath it. He learns the true
ilifctIiIlS VI iitts lilstl HIS llAF II Spiti07
thing he holds in trust for his country.
to be delivered upon call.
THE United States, in her rela-
ton to the rest of the world. must
pay due attention to her National
Guardsmen. II is the duty of every
citizen to understand what the Ma
tional Guard means. that he may give
that corps the moral and financial
support to which it is entitled. If
he is an employer he must make it
easy for his employee TO serve. If he
is a young man and ambitious 10 be
d worthy son of a great country. he
must enlist and do his part to pre-
pare the nation, adequately, honora
bly,, and with economy of men and
money. to do its work in the world"
The man, who for the sake OF
popular applause or through ignor-
ance breaches the victories we have
Won, and ignores their excessive cost
in men and money. and blink at our
many ignominious defeats. is tread
ing close to the path which traitors
follow
I'VE may call ourselves a patriotic
people. but ours is puppy patri-
otism, earnest but ignorant. 1t is not
of the slightest use for citizen to
wish his country well unless he real
ly does something to make her bet
ter"
The army has learned many good
lesson from it's inefficiency and sac
rificing of life by throwing into the
field troops unframed in the art Of
war and unused to the rugged life of
Continued on Page Twelve.)