Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-13

| fire was subdued. and what might have
been an appalling disaster was ayerted.
| Later in the same summer fires In
| the Adirondack mountains which had
been burning for three weeks finally sue
! cumbed to the efforts Of troops sent there
:, for that purpose.
Operations on the Border.
| During all this time, on the 100 miles
| of border which separates our country
from the republic Of Mexico there were
several thousands Of our men and officers
; doing duty as difficult to do well as any
that can be given to men to do.
Across the border antagonists in arms
were constantly clashing in sight and
shot distance Of our men. Friends ana
supporters of the respective sides were
constantly seeking to use our territory
as a means of reltting or Quitting
hostile expeditions Fierce passions were
aroused on each side Of the line. There
was need for constant, ceaseless watch
fulness and calmness. A slight mistake
a small indiscretion-would have had
momentous consequences. And yet no
such thing happened.
THE discipline of characteristic self
restraint OF training and the ability and
intelligence of our men-met every emer-
with an unblemished record.
lis not that something to be proud Of?
Does not that speak in loud and clear
tones to our people? Do they not see the
significance Of such a display?
Body Of Strong, Calm Men.
AN army ready for action-yes;
fighting force. If fighting is necessary
yes: but at all times body Of strong,
calm. resourceful. self-restrained men.
doing fine things in fine way.
ION the 23d of April of this year the
President ordered that a brigade Of troops
be sent to Vera Cruz: and on the oath
OF April they left Galveston, and landed
at Vera Cruz on the 18th. Since that
time not only has that little body done
all the guard and other military duty
performed every civil function OF that
community They are the mayor, the
police force, the street cleaners and the
tax collectors. They are administering
justice and safeguarding the rights of
citizens and of property The machinery
runs SO smoothly and so little fuss is
made about 1T that / should be surprised
If many citizens do not express astonish-
ment upon learning what we are doing
and what we have done there.
In the month of April a Iong-existing
strike in the state of Colorado got be-
yond the control Of the state authorities
and 1t became necessary to dispatch the
national troops there On the 10Th of
April the first troops arrived in that state
and these, with others sent later, aggre-
gate about 1900 officers and men. Here
again the resourcefulness and cool cour-
age and the fine ability of our army is
demonstrated. Coming into a community
aroused to the highest pitch by fierce
passions. they handled the matter with
such care and patience and fairness that
there has been no outbreak since their
arrival A very difficult duty very well
done.
And now in conclusion a word as to
why the army Is thus capable. AS nearly
as 1t can be summed up in one word, it
Is because of character. Character. you
know. is the mark made by the tool of
the graver. Our characters are the re-
suit OF the marks made upon us by the
periences of life. The army officer starts
off with an education and a spirit. He
learns to control others by learning self
control He learns that no orderly gov
eminent Is possible unless the citizen ex-
ercises self-control and submits to
proper discipline. He learns to do what
ever he is set to do. and to do it with all
that is in him He learns to take orders
and carry them GU, and to give orders
and insist upon obedience. And finally
he learns that in no rank of life and in
no field of endeavor can any man do bet
er or go further than In his own, where
his motto always has been and always
will be, Honor. valor and vigor'"
One of the features of the graduating
exercises was the presence of a delega-
ton of Filipinos, headed by Manuel
Quezon. Philippine delegate in Con-
gress. The party was here to witness
the graduation of Cadet vincente P Linn,
a full-blooded Filipino boy, who is the
first to enter the academy from that
country. Cadet Linn stood No Il in his
class He will be commissioned in the
scouts of the islands.
The graduates will receive a three
month furlough. and will join their COM
mands next September.
The battalion of cadets will move into
camp for the summer today.