Evening star., 1921-09-01
|ARMY NECESSARY
| IN SPITE OF PEACE,
| PRESIDENT STATES
Declares Highest Aspirations
May Never Overcome
Need for Troops.
futile TO ASSERT WAR
!SAT END" HE DECLARES
Hopes for Limiting of Armaments
in Address at Opening of
War College.

President Harding. speaking today
at the opening of the fall term of the
Army War College. declared that mo
the world lead us, there never may
be a time without the necessity for
armed forces"
The President in his brief address,
however, pledged the two hundred
officers in his audience that during
his administration they would never
be called to perform military service
they could not enter into with all
their heart and soul as Americans.
DepIores Mingo Situation.
Referring briefly to the situation in
the West Virginia coal fields. the
President declared: 1--WE ought not
have a conflict like that which is 60
ing on in West Virginia. 1t is due to
lack of understanding
Mr.. Harding said there were two
relative essentials to the civilization
to which we all aspire: one is an un-
derstanding among nen at home ana
the other an understanding between
nations"
The President expressed the belief
that the time was coming when the
burdens of armament" could be d.
minished.
added. that there will be less of
armies and navies."
Wars still Threaten.
Declaring that through 1000 years
of pagan history ana 1000 years OF
Christian civilization the world only
lately had come to a civilized state
of armed warfare. the President re-
liberated that he thought it perfectly
futile to think there never may be
armed conflict"
I'VE of America without unr"cAs-
sary boasting," he continued, have
come nearer to civilized warfare tna.i
any nation"
TIE President declared that "the
trouble with the world today is that
there are too many theorists who
know nothing of actualities-
Whoever, he added, bl ings practical
experience into play with theory VIII
make real contribution to progress
The President was accompanied to
the War College by Secretary Weeks
and Gen. Pershing, chief Of stan'
each of whom made a brief address.
Secretary weeks apeaks.
Secretary Weeks expressed hrs and
| the adminfstrat tion's deep interest In
the college and spoke of his pride in
its achievements. I'VE are living IN
technical age" he said, and in my
opinion the man, whether he be in the
military service or in private life. is
hopelessly handicapped IL he is not
trained in technology. The records OF
the department show that the ofhcers
! of our armies who served in overseas
the best results were shown by those
yho had had technical training IN
addition to their regular military edu-
i cation.
''This War College is the high school
of all the Army schools, and / trust
YOU men will be better prepared Tor
| your important duties when you have
| completed your courses here
Pershing Tells of Training.
! Gen. Pershing gave a brief resume
! of the history of the college and its
| ACCOMPLISHMENTS since its founding in
1903. and outlined the scope of train
| ing necessary for the military officer
| of the present day and for the future.
! He stated that the primary function
! of the course at this institution is to
! plan for the national defense and to
! train officers in the higher arts of the
military Also to prepare them for
| executive commands. staff duty ana
specialized assignments.
John T. Axton, chief of chaplains Of
| the JTnitde States Army. offered the
| Invocation at the opening of the ex-
| ercises and at the conclusion Chaplain
James F. Duffy said benedictfon.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies
the President stood in line and shook
| hands with each of the officer students
as he filed by. Before leaving he was
| shown over the college building.