The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-01
Of F|CERS
READY At
WORD
High Command and Staff Easy
of Choice-Dangers
Thick Ahead.

The next great war viii find the
United States better prepared to
fight than at any time in its his
tory. Mai. Gen. Hanson E. Ely,
Conmandant Of the Army War
College, declared here today in an
address opening the college for the
fan and winter term.
War Seeds Thick.
Despite the experiences of the
world war and recent attempts to
prevent further international dis.
cord, General Ely said that the
seeds Of war are more thickly
strewn. than has been the case for
many years"
s.Had we had at the outbreak of
the world war even such prepara-
ton as we now have" General Ely
our school (the Army War College,
would have saved billions Of dollars
and many thousands of lives.
1.-THE choice of high commanders
and staff officers could have been
made with the assurance that those
chosen would give good service,
and the failures would have been
reduced to the minimum.
Many Wars Waged.
In spite Of the great world war,
waged to end war, there have been
twelve wars since it's termination,
and the seeds Of war are more
thickly strewn than has been the
case for many years. Most genera.
tons have faithfully endeavored tc
akrt
ieys, or tribunals for wars, with
varying but not very flattering SUE
cess. In the councils Of nations the
voice Of a nation Is given weight
very much in accord with its pre-
paredness to defend itself and its
reputation or willingness to uphold
its just rights. It is unsafe to
assume that nations near bank.
ruptcy. with few supplies and poor
material cannot make war. The re-
turn of Turkey to Europe shows
the contrary to be the case.
-Our, wars have not been made
% much by administrations as they
have been forced on the people, and
the people. as a whole, take little ac-
count Of whether or not we are prop
erfy prepared when they decide
whether or not we shall enteE INTO a
war. We are a peaceful but rather
mpulSive nation and it has been
shown that the sinking of q Maine
or q Luisitania or atrocities COM
mitted upon our own people. or
even upon peoples not affiliated by
ties Of blood. have caused such a
demand for war that our diplomats
and statesmen were unable to pre-
vent it.
Therefore, with our small regular
army, 1t is all the more necessary
that we should make our school
system as thorough and complete
Is is possible. to. in a measure.
take the place Of organizations. and
sible position for exerting the great
strength Of man power and re-
sources at the earliest possible
Theories never win wars, Secre-
tary Of War Weeks told the student
officers. They do serve, however,
he added, as a foundation for action.
Training Needed.
'One often hears of individuals
who contest the value Of the profess
sional training Of the regular Of
ficers," Weeks said. They seem to
made, and that the few eternal
principles of war can be quickly
learned by any man. One can study
theories without becoming a theorist.
One can spend a life time learning
the intimate details of our present
military material, organization and
operation without becoming welded
to the idea none Of these can ever
change
''In fact, that intimate knowledge
Of the resources of war, without
which no man is fit to command,
can be gained in no other manner
than by long continuous study and
observation. One cannot understand
he army Of tomorrow without hav.
some idea of the army of today.
important thing is to learn
weapons with q full knowledge
heir applicability to whatever
ltion might occur.
Any theory evolved by the staff
ch is not acceptable to the people
bur country may be an incorrect