Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-05

qualified to command the regiment,
Roosevelt very plainly saying that ne
(RooSevelD. without training under such
a competent superior as he knew WOOD
to be. was not then qualified TO take
command How Wood was promoted TO
brigadier general and Roosevelt to the
regimental command. after they reached
Cuba is history.
Luck" sneered some. when the sud
den rise of this young army surgeon De-
gan. Long ago, however. that word
passed out of use in connection with Gen.
Wood. His success in all the huge and
varying tasks assigned to him Is not
TO be ascribed merely to good fortune.
His ACCOMPLISHMENTS have justified the
faith of Mckinley and Roosevelt. VINO.
out of there close association with and
study of the man, gave him the oppor-
tunnty TO demonstrate his worth
X 4
While for these fifteen years past he
has been an interesting figure in Ameri-
can life. il is not to be supposed that he
la presently to pass out. The possibilities
are that his greater role in American
history is yet TO be enacted
Suppose, for example. that this nation
should be involved in war at any time
in the next four or five years-and no
nation is ever safe from the chance of
war-who but Gen. Wood would lead our
land forces into the campaign? Barring
the contingencies of death and politics,
evidences now point inevitably to him
as the general in command.
He is ranking general officer of the
army, more than three years senior to
his nearest junior; he is younger in years
than most other generals-younger. in
fact. than many coloneIs: he is full of
energy and vigor. both mental and ply
sical and he has commanded the con-
fidence and regard of four successive
national administrations, Mckinley,
Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson, in turn,
have testified their faith in his military
genius. Not until October 8. 1924, does
he reach the retiring age-sixty-four.
And If there is war. and if he does
lead. then what?
All history shows that when a COM
paratively young man leads the army oil
"A republic in war the citizenship is prone
to claim him for high civil office Rome.
Greece and Carthage furnish examples.
Eleven of our own Presidents owed their
popularity and rise to thesoffice of chief
magistrate in greater or less degree
to their exploits in war France. when
establishing the present republic, elevated
to the presidency the marshal who sur
rendered the imperial army at Sedan.
The tale is significant. That Gen. Wood
has no taste for politics, but is wholly
wrapped up i'm his profession, is beside
the point. Grant probably never dreamed
of a political career until after Apo
mattox.
To leave off specializing, however, and
get down TO the life and work of this
general manager of the army:
He was born at Winchester, N H.,
October 9. 1850, and received his prepare
tory education at Middleboro. Mass,
going thence to Harvard 10 study medi-
cine. In 1854 he received his Nj. d. de-
gree from the medical school of that
university. Natural tastes gave him a
fondness for the out of DOORS and from
his youth he cherished a desire to enter
the army or navy. Thought of the rou-
tine OF city medical practitioner was
distasteful 10 him and as graduation ap-
preached he sought entrance to the Med
ical Corps of the army. year after
graduation he Joined the service as a
contract surgeon and was sent at once
to the scene of Indian lighting in the
southwest. a year later he was com
missioned a first lieutenant and assistant
surgeon. He got his out of doors-four
strenuous. lighting years of 1t that made
soldier of him.
Now, an army surgeon is supposed tc
be non-combatant. Tradition, how
ever, never appealed strongly to Leonard
Wood. He somehow just naturally drift.
ed into the lighting end of the work
There was more work for line officers
that Is, hghting officers-than could be
done by the available supply, and young
Wood took on extra duty
The story OF his exploits has otter
been written. To review II briefly, wher
Lawton went after that willy and blood
thirsty old savage, the Apache Geronimo
June. 1886. to February, 1SS7-Surgeor
Wood. who had already demonstrated
his ability to command men, went along
The record shows that he was com
handing infantry detachment and scout.
In Arizona, New Mexico and northern
Mexico
Oh, yes. northern Mexico is right
Hostile Apaches fled across the interna
tional line. but the little band OF Ameri
can soldiers did not stop for an imagin
airy boundary. They went after ans