Evening star., 1915-06-12
Secretary Garrison Presents
Sheepskins to 1853 West
Point Graduates.
ALSO MAKES AN ADDRESS
ON VALUE OF TRADITION
Tells Young Officers the Unwritten,
Untaught Influences Are
Most Important.

WEST POINT, N. Y. June l2.-Secre-
tary Garrison of the War Department
presented diplomas today to 16S gradu-
ates of the Military Academy at the an
nual graduation exercises of the institu-
ton and delivered an address in which
he emphasized the value Of tradition.
Secretary Garrison said in part:
Il often wonder whether we realize
the great part which traditions play
in our lives-the unwritten. untaught
influences which unconsciously affect
us. Handed down by word of mouth.
not set forth in any books. not made
tions. they are yet more important than
anything thus made manifest.
You at the Point here are permeat-
ed with traditions of the highest i'm
riculum is that which puts it's best
stamp upon you. To be honorable,
valorous, truthful, fair and just in your
dealings. and ready to sacrifice all for
your country. are the traditions which
were handed on to you and will be
handed on by you to those who follow.
while traditions are of course val
liable in civil life. they are trebly VAL
una BILE in the career to which you have
chosen. The activities Of the average
citizen are circumscribed and largely
centered about himself and his own
relations You, however. are conspic-
uously placed, and in your person body
forth and represent your country.
citizen, they are not so conspicuous
nor so damaging as are lapses upon the
part of officers Of the army Of the
United States.
Great Responsibility.
"You have undertaken a great re-
sponsibility. You may be called upon
at any time to demonstrate your
worth. and upon your conduct may de-
pend issues of vital moment to your
country. You can only be sure that
you will worthily and successfully
meet such responsibilities If you have
entered on your career in the proper
spirit-if you have become imbued with
the proper traditions. Your role Is so
difficult one that 1t can only be play
ed by those who realize it's significance
and have entered upon 1t in the proper
spirit. If any have taken up this pro-
lihood, or have come into 1t allured
merely by its snowy side. they are not
only doomed to individual failure, but
they also interfere with the integrity
of the body as a whole. Unless you
look upon yourselves as men who have
actually, not only in word, pledged all
that was in YOU for your country's
safety you have not imbibed the prop
er traditions and you cannot worthily
hand them on. If you have this spirit
within you you could not conceal 1t if
you would; and it's manifestation
evokes the admiration and respect OF
the people of the country. Wherever
the proper traditions of the service are
In the highest admiration and regard.
IT concede that the ideal which you
must ever keep before you is so high,
and the incidents of everyday life
are SO diverting, and the opportunity
to show your metal occurs SO seldom,
that 1t Is difficult not to permit some
tarnish to appear and to hold your
self SO steadfast that you are not d.
verted. But if you do not appreciate
all this and win through notwith-
standing all this, then it were much
better that you had never undertaken
that which was above your capacity.
Apart in the Community.
"1f you will constantly keep in your
mind certain facts of peculiar sig
nifcance. the force of the traditions
which should have full play will be
increased You are, as I have before
said, a class of men set apart in the
community Almost arbitrary power
is lodged in your hands. You are con-
spicuous by reason of the uniqueness
of your position; and each one of you,
resent the army of the United States
to those who view and judge your
conduct. If it be, as l am very thank
full to say it almost always is, that
your conduct reflects credit and glory
upon yourself and the army, the tradi-
tions are handed on emphasized and
unbroken; whereas if you have failed
to live up to the standard and have
fallen below what it was right to ex-
pect of you, the value of the tradition
is to that extent impaired and the
honor and the glory of your service
is diminished.
II wish you would not look upon the
Thought I have tried to present to you
in these few words as negligible, and
this presentation of 1t to you as per-
functory. / have come so to admire
and respect the great service of which
for this short time ! have had the
honor to be the head, that I want
nothing so much as to see the fine,
high traditions that represent the best
that is in it always maintained and
perpetuated."
Filipino Is Graduated.
Anastacio Q. Yer. a Filipino. one of