New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-02

Henry Barry. superintendent OF
.,s Military Academy at West Point.
perbaps nothing else he might say how
..,er elaborate in form and structure.
.orld better convey the keynote Of the
character OF the born soldier and tried
.anpaigner than this short, crisp sentence.
We sit opposite each other in the official
huudlng at West Point. separated by a
wide business table. on the top of which
oil through the interview General Barry
indicates ambulance calls" ''reveille,
"taps" and lights out" with quick, impa-
.ient touches of his finger tips.
He didn't need TO tell me he was SOL
dier knew II the moment l looked at
him. He is the typical fighting man, from
che tip of the polished shoe TO the top OF
the head whose bumps indicate his ealing.
A heavy gray mustache, heavy gray hair,
bringing into relief the Roman nose; the
yaen brown eyes. which never glance awry;
che erizzled face ribbed with eloquent wit
rAsses Of storm and stress. 1t is a face
which Is very stern in repose. but can. and
does. now and then. break into little crink-
w lines OF numor and humanness at an
occasional provocation, when the habit OF
.elf-restra!nt and authority is for the mo-
ment forgotten.
4 strip Of five divisions each indicating
q campaien, stretches across the left side
Of his double breasted blue coat, and when
he stands you see tall spare figure,
trained TO the thoroughbred requirement.
which does not permit superfluous flesh.
.rYou have never had any other ideal-no
ambition for a career outside the military
one?"
Never. Why should I? I never regret.
I don't look back. 1 went into the army
because I wanted to. I have stayed there
for the same reason"
The hushV eyebrows come close together.
He reads a ENTHUSIASTICALLY unintended
in the question. He will stand for no
criticism Of his beloved profession.
And you do not think that boys come
20 West Point TO further parental ambi-
tons or because they are undecided in re-
carl 10 their careers"
Certainly not They don't have TO come
II they don't want to, It is not case Of
parental influence. They are selected by
their Senators or Representatives"
They have to serve eight years; do they
mot? Four years after they leave the
academy"
Yes"
after the end OF that period, isn't 1t too
late for them TO get out Of the army, even
If they wanted TOP
GRADUATES STAY IN THE SERVICE.
"The majority of graduates stay in the
service If they don't like II they had bet
ter get out"
II is very evident that General Barry IS
not interested in the psychology Of action.
1t is the action itself which is important. To
him the cadets-there are nearly six hun
dred under him al the present time-are
raw material to be turned into the finished
product Of fine fighting flesh. blood and
brain. He is not bothering about how or
why they came.
His manner Of reply suggests the ques-
ton:
What part of the discipline does the
cadet find most difficult"
1--WE do not have 10 teach discipline. II
IS all laid down. The cadets understand
what they have TO do. 1t was never better
than ii is at present"
There has been the same need OF praise
from every one have talked to since my
arrival at West Point for the superinten-
dent OF the academy. In the two years Of
the respect and esteem of all the under
lings Of every grade and rank. 'Awfully
POPULAR I hear again and again, with
sometimes stern disciplinarian" softened
BY "a perfect sense of justice" One of the
officers states: you know, a stern disciple
marian means a man who keeps you up TO
the mark but ii does not necessarily imply
q man who treats you harshly IL you fall
short"
The following question is founded on this
information:
THE punishment for the infraction Of
rules is very severe?''
Steals out the kindly spirit behind the
erusque. soldierly manner and the curt syl-
lables
you have TO be human, you know-you
have 10 be human"
The parental feeling is quite evident in
his manner, as II General Barry realized
that his authority in the academy en-
braced that OF the family as we'll as that
OF the field.
There have been instances Of writer's and
artists who founC the routine Of the acad-
envy too irksome for their soaring spirits.
Two especially noteworthy-Poe and Whis-
tier have them in mind when ! ask:
NO ROOM FOR TEMPERAMENT.
Are a uniform and a strict. hard-and-
fast system good for boy Of tempera-
ment? Don't they drive him into making
Ntrouble for himself and his teachers?"
A gesture of indifference, a laconic-
~ don't know anything about that"
Between the firing lines you read that
&c HzIf OH N
that headquarters of systematized energies.
West Point Academy is there to turn out
Doors not dreamers.
There has been q presentiment OF COM
ing clash in the air ever since the inter
view began. General Barry does not shoot
around corners. Going straight to the
mark himself, he does not feel an over
towering sympathy for interviewing tao
tics which often, perforce. embrace ways
that are dark and tricks that are vain"
During the initial shower of questions,
which are intended TO be merely diplomatic
prelirninaries, there is a deepening OF the
facial burrows and the burnt edges OF the
monosyllables get more and more crisp.
A tifnid little interrogatory advances,
blind to the foe IN ambush.
DO you think that the time Will ever
come when universal peace will reign, and
the army will be abolished?'
To talk of peace, you think, TO grim,
gray warrior is like waving red rag 70
bull. Well. perhaps. but after all is 1t so
strange that, following many jealous cam
"a 20 he thraa