ing are under twenty-one years of age. These men are in the formative period of their lives, and officers owe it to them, to their parents, and to the nation that when discharged from the service they should be far better men physically, mentally and morally than they were when they enlisted. (4) To accomplish this task successfully a constant effort must be made by all officers to fill each day with useful and interesting instruction and wholesome entertainment for the men. This effort must be intelligent and not perfunctory, the object being not only to do away with idleness, but to train and cultivate the bodies, the minds, and the spirit of our men. (5) Love of corps and country.-To be more specific, it will be necessary for officers not only to devote their close attention to the many questions affecting the comfort, health, military training and discipline of the men under their command, but also actively to promote athletics and to endeavor to enlist the interest of their men in building up and maintaining their bodies in the finest physical condition; to encourage them to enroll in the Marine Corps Institute and to keep up their studies after enrollment; and to make every effort by means of historical, educational and patriotic addresses to cultivate in their hearts a deep abiding love of the corps and country. (6) Leadership.-Finally, it must be kept in mind that the American soldier responds quickly and readily to the exhibition of qualities of leadership on the part of his officers. Some of these qualities are industry, energy, initiative, determination, enthusiasm, firmness, kindness, justness, self-control, usefulness, honor, and courage. Every officer should endeavor by all means in his power to make himself the possessor of these qualities and thereby to fit himself to be a real leader of men. Future Prospects of the Army.~~ The reduction of the commissioned strength of the Army in obedience to the law has been completed. In consequence of the operation of the act of June 30, 1922, the Army has suffered a severe shock. The Infantry has borne its full share. We do not propose to hold a "postmortem." We do wish to state, however, that this office has labored consistently to minimize the unfortunate consequences that must inevitably attend such a radical policy, both as to individuals and as to the Infantry at large. We wish to say also, that in losing the services of many promising officers the Infantry feels that the obligation rests more heavily than ever upon those remaining in the service to carry on with undiminished energy and to preserve the standards of Army efficiency which are of such vital importance to the cause we serve-The National Defense. The reduction just effected was a measure of political economy. It is not the first experience of the kind that the Army has had. When we consider the reductions following the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War it is evident that the present instance is not novel-it is in keeping with our national military policy. So, too, a review of past experience shows that soon after these reductions our national legislature has invariably commenced the rebuilding of what has but recently been torn down. Political economy often forces radical curtailment of Federal expenditures but national needs, in things military as in all other phases of government, soon assert their influence to restore the balance. The pendulum hav ing swung to the limit of its arc must return to the center. Already the signs are not wanting to justify the belief that the clouds are clearing and fair days are approaching. It is appropriate at this time to recall the traditions of our profession. The traditions of Washingtons, Scotts and Grants, of hardships and discouragements endured; great handicaps overcome, and loyal service rendered with an abiding faith in the Army. "Bricks."-"Infantry," says the Marine Corps Manual, 1921 (page 31), "is the foundation on which the Military Structure is builded." Speaking of structures we are reminded of the old story of what the King of X said to a visitor at his capital city who expressed surprise that the city had no defensive walls. The King, as you will remember, saying: "Come with me," or words to that effect, led his guest to the roof of the palace from which he pointed to companies of Infantrymen marching and countermarching and going through drill evolutions on a beautiful, grassy plain. "There," said his majesty, "are the walls of my city and each of those men is a brick." Course in Administration, National Guard and Reserve Officers.-National Guard and Reserve Officers who are students at the Infantry School, Fort Benning, Ga., have apparently been pursuing their course with enthusiasm. At their request, a course in Company Administration and Property Accounting, based upon National Guard Regu lations, 1919, will be given. The class, which is to be held on Wednesday afternoons, will not be a part of the regular curriculum, but is a special course to meet the needs of the officers of our citizen forces. Demonstration of Christie 75 mm. Gun Mount. In the development of the tank and of Field Artillery gun mounts, Mr. Walter Christie, of the Front Drive Motor Co., Hoboken, N. J., has developed a remarkable vehicle. Col. S. D. Rockenbach, Commandant of the Tank School, has this to say of it: The demonstration of the machine started at Hoboken, N. J., crossed the 23d Street Ferry, then to Broadway, then up Broadway to 74th Street, thence out Riverside Drive to 205th Street. With the assistance of a motorcycle police squad the streets were kept cleared and the machine ran on its rubber-tired wheels at the rate of 30 miles per hour. At the Dyckman Street Ferry the machine was moved The remainder of the paragraph onto the ferryboat and was transported quoted above, follows: It is the first duty of every Marine officer, therefore, to make himself a good Infantryman. This does not mean that it is necessary for officers to devote all of their time to the study of Infantry tactics. During the years of peace, officers have at their disposal ample time in which to become proficient in all branches of the profession of arms. across the Hudson, and ran from the ferry on the very narrow cinder road bordering the river. Its tracks were put on with heavy grousers. The machine turned from the road up the steep bank of the river between the Palisades. Its climbing ability was something remarkable, and it continued to ascend for 100 feet, where the earth ended against the precipice. It then descended the bank much easier than the spectators (who were slipping and sliding), reached the road, turned abruptly to the left, went along the river for some 30 feet, and then descended a 6-foot stone wall into the Hudson River. It crossed the Hudson under its own power. The driver, instead of directing the machine to its designated landing place on the east shore, headed south of the same and on arriving across the river, faced a sheer stone precipice. At the time the tide was outgoing very rapidly. The driver turned his machine up the river and buffeted a tremendous tide and current successfully for over a mile. He then headed for the shore, reached a 20-foot rock revetment of the New York Cen tral Railway lines, ascended that, flopped down on the railway tracks, turned south on rails and ties, and continued along the railway line until he reached the crossing at 205th Street. It was the most remarkable performance that I have seen or heard of. The combined wheel and caterpillar principle was a complete success. Its floating ability, should it be applied to a tank, would require an excessive amount of armor plate, which would too greatly increase the weight of a tank, but the demonstration points the way to making gun mounts and tanks buoyant. Military Training 1 U Varied Ground NFORTUNATELY, military ican public. While it is intended to prepare young men for the highest of all privileges of citizenship -that of serving the country-it has a value to the nation entirely apart from the military policy of the Government. In all ages, men have regarded skill in the use of arms and physical prowess as essential to the qualifications for manhood. The development of knighthood and chivalry rested upon the foundation of individual superiority in the use of arms, in physical strength and in horsemanship. Correspondingly the decline of nations and races has been marked by contempt and disregard of the elements of manhood that fit them for self-protection in combat. The use of arms, however, is only the means to the end of developing man of superior character, courage and virility. By reason of the supreme sacrifice and suffering, as well as the momentous responsibilities that are inseparable from the soldier's calling, the military code has come to embody the most exalted virtues with which men can be endowed. Consequently, the good soldier must necessarily be a good citizen and conform to standards of living that make for the well being of his associates, the prosperity of his community or business, and the safety of his country. It teaches self-respect and pride. Every man has sterling merit, and if he has due regard for himself, his ambition will impel him to make the most of his endowments, thus bringing success and happiness in his undertakings. It teaches consideration for others and the subordination of the individual 1 to the welfare of the whole. Perhaps the greatest defect of our national character is the desire for self-advancement. It is only by teamwork and a just appreciation of the obligations of the individual to his fellow men and to his environment, that unity of effort can be secured. It teaches courage, fortitude, and self-reliance. These are the essentials of leadership, whether in military or civil life. The man who by the force of his convictions and the tenacity of his purpose can convince others that he is right is a real asset to his community. It teaches honesty, truth and integ rity. It has ever been the pride of military men that their standards were high and their dealings above reproach. The code has never tolerated any departure from customs and laws that have but grown stronger with usage. It teaches patriotism and respect for our Government, our laws, and our properly constituted authorities. Loyalty to the flag and to the ideals of our Constitution and the traditions of our people is as essential to the civilian as to the soldier. It develops the body and coordinates the mental and the physical processes. Even now the country does not realize the menace to the future of the decline in physique of our manhood. The draft showed that from 30 to 50 per cent of the young men from different groups of States were physically unfit to serve their country. Yet the standards were not high, and most of the defects could have been prevented by proper training in boyhood. The physical exercises and drills, and the habits and orderly life of military training, will raise the physical standard of our youths and thus perpetuate a virile instead of a decadent race. The War Department Address by Major General C. P. Summeral, Commanding Hawaiian Department, to the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, Punahou School, Honolulu, November 10, 1922. offers military training to educational institutions not only without cost, but with substantial contributions in equipment and in money. The failure to take advantage of the opportunity and to have every boy develop for citizenship or service in accordance with the requirements of military training can only be ascribed to apathy and to the ignorant prejudice that associates military instruction with war, and the erroneous belief that war is the result of the existence of armies. Knowledge of any kind can be misused or abused, but military knowledge and the existence of armies have never contributed to war in our country. On the contrary, our wars have come from causes that had no relation to our military power, and generally they could have been avoided or greatly reduced in time, blood, and treasure had we possessed the forces to inspire the respect of our enemies. I congratulate the faculty and students of the R. O. T. C. of this school upon their progress, and I urge upon all a solemn obligation to avail themselves of the opportunities offered by the military course to assist young men in becoming worthy citizens of the Republic. rhymes of the Great Plains region -an expression of the spirit of the plains by its bards and minstrels. The collection, when completed, will include representative material from each of the ten States which are wholly or partially embraced in the old plains region and practically every phase of plains life will also be included. Mr. Thoburn is especially anxious to have the Army properly represented in the collection as its officers and men played a large and important part in the life and history of the plains country during the four decades following the close of the War with Mexico and the discovery of gold in California. Any suggestions from officers of the Army or others who may have information concerning material of this character, pertaining to Army life on the plains, will not only be appreciated by Mr. Thoburn but may also result in giving an enduring place in the literature of the Great Plains to really meritorious productions which have not hitherto received the recognition that they have deserved. Preferably, such compositions should not exceed eight or ten stanzas or verses in length. Material that officers may have available should be forwarded to Mr. Joseph B. Thoburn, Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City, Okla. |