Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-02
WAR GAME 70 Be
TAUGHT By MAIL
DANIELS WANTS
MEN At SEA TO TOUCH WITH
COLLEGE,.
GREAT IMPORTANCE OF
GREAT IMPORTANCE OF
SCHOOLING POINTED OUT
Secretary Of Navy Says Both Officers
and Enlisted Men Could Then Work
Out Problem Under Nearest Possible
Approach to Service Conditions
Two Branches May Combine Study.

Washington, April 2.-War games by
mail, correspondence school in high
strategy, constant study Of naval sci
ence from the time youth enters An
napolis until he retires as a flag officer.
This is a. policy which Secretary Of the
Navy Josephus Daniels seeks to en-
courage. Continuing and progressive
education Is, in his opinion, the great
est need of the service.
do you really intend to bone
strategy and tactics alongside the lieu
tenants and the captains?" the secre-
tary was asked as he wos handed q
clipping which stated that he intends
taking a course at the Naval War Coll
lege at Newport next summer.
Il would mighty well like to-" he re-
Piled The war problems I do not call
them games, for they are tense, hard
work, altho inspiring-are Of vital i'm
portance to the future of our national
defense. l have accepted an invitation
to open the summer term Of the war
college next June, and hope that my
public duties will permit me taking
vacation. q part of which l will spend
with the president and faculty Of the
war college and seek to learn some
thing Of the problems Of actual war
which they endeavor to solve.
No Mere Checker Games, He Says.
These problems are no mere check
err games with pawns upon a board.
In the final analysis a naval war prob
lem comes to battle between two
fleets represented on a board symbolic
ing the sea- but the problem takes IN
likewise all the diplomatic situations
that lead to war, the commercial con-
ditions that determine the strength OF
a nation, ond the psychology OF inter-
national relations"
AS the secretary spoke there lay on
his desk a report from the president Oh
the naval war college. Capt. w. Rod
gers, recommending an expansion OF
the service and usefulness OF the war
college. II found the secretary favor
ably predisposed. When he visited the
war college last summer he found
splendid plant adequate equipment
and a smooth working system. But
there were almost as many teachers
as students. This struck the secretary
as a rather expensive proposition. lie
ordered TO the college three off1cers
from each battleship. Some opposition
was expressed Battleship command
ers were loath to lose any OF their ON
GERS, but when more than seVenty-h'e
had taken the summer course ana re-
turned to their ships the criticism
ceased. and many captain and COM
rnander has since told the secretary
that the experiment was highly pene.
fetal in stimulating the professionals
interest Of the officer students.
Ascertains Candidates interest,"
Ry way of emphasizing his sense OF
the war colleges Importance. Secre-
,ary Daniels ordered the naVal eA-
aiming board to ascertain wnethe'
candidates for promotion had oeei
70 the war college and what benene
they had derived from the instruction.
The secretary's announcement thae
Rear Admiral Mayo, who left Annapo-
lis thirty seven years ago, is sun gums
TO school in order that he may pc tnor-
ougbly up to the responsibility OF nlsn
naval command. invites attention 10
the methods Of the war office.
War appeals to the average mlno as
q clash OF arms. The usual mental
conception of battle is a charging
brigade. or the belching broadsloes u
two Aeets. But the real essence OF war
is organization and administration.
Japan's victory over Russia was won
on the fields Of Lao Yang, at Mukoen,
and at Port Arthur so far as the iano
campaigns were concerned. But tne
russians might have changed defeat
- victory had Rotestvensky instead or
Toeo won command Of the sea at
Tsyshima. A Russian naval victory
would have cut off the victorious Japa-
nese armies from their source OF sup
NV and Russia's long but unbroKen
.oi,uay would have enabled