New-York tribune., 1911-04-20
PRAISES CITIZEN SOLDIERS
Secretary Dickinson Addresses
the 7th Regiment at Mess.
REFERS TO ARMY IN TEXAS
Governor Dix, General Grant and
Judge Lacombe Among
the Speakers.

From their afternoon OF marching IN the
rain. :he. Eth reached its armory at
67th street and Park avenue hungry and
ready TO do great things 10 the mess
Captain J. Weston Myers. commissary OF
the regiment. had prepared on the drill
floor. From behind painted scenes Of hills
and trees that shut out the view Of steam
ing pots and stoves and hurrying chefs,
the small army Of walters rushed forth
with quantities. Of stores and heaped them
high on the long tables that stretched the
width Of the room.
on the dais where Colonel Daniel Apple
ton presided as toastmaster sat J. NJ. Dick
,nson. Secretary Of War and Major Cen
eral + y Grant, commander of the De-
partment OF the East. Later they were
joined by Governor Dix.
The citizen soldiery as represented by the
history and the men of the 7th Regiment.
Secretary Dickinson said, must ever be the
mainstay Of the United States, and upon
them must be placed the greatest reliance
in times u a great crisis. Tie country
could never be reconciled 20 a great stand
ing army such as those OF Europe.
But the trouble would be-" he went on,
that in case We went 70 war with any
other nation they would not oe. so consld-
crate as To oppose us with raw and I'M
trained troops. but would bring against us
the seasoned soldiery that make up their
great armies And right here is where the
value of organizations like the 7th comes in.
They constitute a citizen soldiery that has
had its training in all the needs OF war,
and then have gone back 70 their civic du-
ties. not only trained TO serve the country
when needed, but also improving the citi-
zenship of the country as well.
The United States, in taking its place
among the great powers OF the earth. must
be prepared 20 discharge the great duties
and obligations that go with that position.
And that It has small and effective army
fully able 10 do this is being amply demon
strated down in Texas to-day. With great
er needs. this army will be ably backed up
and augmented by the great body Of citi-
zen soldiery trained by such organizations
as the 7th Regiment"
Taft as a Man of Peace.
Mr.. Dickinson went on to speak OF the
greatness Of President Taft's achievements
in the field Of international arbitration.
No one man in the history OF the world, he
said had done so much 70 bring about
general arbitration OF international trou-
bles as President Taft.
I'VE hear many rumors of war lately,
the speaker went on "of the Japanese
gaining a foothold in Mexico, of interven-
ton in Mexico, and many alarming prophe-
cies. but the people OF the United States
may feel assured that they have a man at
the head Of their affairs who will not be
carried away by the hysterla Of the mo-
ment And they can count on his sanity
and his Judgment In upholding the honor
and the int rests OF the United States IN
every instance. as has been shown by his
recent condu OF affairs on the Mexican
border"
Governor DIX spoke Of his pride as com
mander in chief Of the national guard Of
New York in having under his command
such bodies Of men as the 7th. II was
owing 70 the memory of those, he said
who gave up their all in binding together
the fragments OF the nation that We to-day
should perpetuate their work
Judge Z H. Lacombe. OF the United
States Circuit Court Of Appeals. reviewed
in his speech the services Of the members
OF the regiment in the Civil War. and told
how their marching 10 Washington as a
united body for the Union cause was the
final and definite indication that the North
would be solid against the. South in the
war.
He produced a solemn effect when he
read the rollcal o: those who had fallen
in battle. company by company. calling
upon the present members OF the COM
panies 10 rise for your dead" Company
by company the living rose. and stood
reverently as the names OF their predeces-
sors in arms were read. until the whole
regiment was on It's feet. and stood for a
moment in silent coEmemoratlon or the
s!xty-Ave who had died in action.