The citizen., 1913-11-21
MAKES PLEA FOR
PRIDE IN ARMY
Secretary Garrison DeplOres
General Attitude OF Public.
FUNCTION misunderstood.
People Fail To Discriminate Between
Hatred Of BIoodshed and War,
and Position OF Army In
Respect Thereto.

New York Secretary of War Gar
rison declared at dinner given in his
honor at the Lotos Club that the peo-
pie of the United States as whole
did not regard the army in the proper
attitude and did not feel toward it as
they should. The secretary made his
statement during the course of an en-
thusiastic discussion of the effective
ness OF the army. even in time OF
peace.
For one thing" said he Il think
the people fail to discriminate be
tween their absolute hatred of blood
shed and war and the function of the
army in respect thereto For the fire
man. the physician. the engineer and
for the clergyman. none of us has
words other than OF praise and en-
couragement And yet for the soldier,
whose very presence is protection
against others attempting to use force
and whose efforts in our behalf. when
force is used against us. are essential
to our defense, the people have either
a negligent attitude or very often one
of disapproval | cannot on any rea-
sonable ground account for this.
"If il were true that the officers and
men of the army were staggering
bullies seeking to engage in war for
wars sake, or undesirable citizens
who brought disgrace upon the uni
form and the country there would be
reason for this public attitude.
Have Wrong Idea.
But exactly the contrary is the
case The army. both officers and
men, never was of higher tone than to-
day, nor as high. in my opinion. No
sane man possibly can think that
nation situated as is the United States
with respect to the world could go
without an army All stable govern
ment rests upon the possibility of
using force to secure obedience to its
DEGREES. And so it must be with
nations until another day has dawned
and many of the attributes of men
which now guide their conduct have
been changed for other and different
ones"
Not Only War Force.
Secretary Garrison cited as most
convincing proofs of the highly effici-
ent character of the Army the numer-
Gus instances in which it has been
effectively used in time of peace
tasks entirely disconnected with the
Army's character as a fighting force
The relief work at San Francisco
Omaha, during floods in the Ohio and
Mississippi Valleys, in California
forest fires; the administration of
executive functions in the Philippines
and Cuba, Porto Rico and Santo
Domingo, t. building OF the Panama
Canal. he pointed out as such in
stances and also called attention to
the work of the Army Medical Corps
in subduing yellow fever. beri-beri,
typhoid fever and tropical anaemia.
IN view of all this" Mr. Garrison
concluded, 81 am sure | will not be
accused of lack of modesty in repeat
ing that | am whole heartedly proud
of the Army of the United States and
of what it has done and what it is
capable of doing. | am sure am not
asking anything that you should not
be enthusiastic to grant. in the sug-
gestion in that you likewise should be
equally proud. Strong as
the Army is, willing as it is, efficient
as it is-yOu citizens have the power
TO add many fold to its usefulness if
you will but give it its due need of
appreciation and of praise. feel that
you will do So