Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD. DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
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UAIILES W. ELIOT, president emeri
tus of Ilnrvard university, made nn
address not long ago before the
Harvard Tofuhers' u&sociatlon, In
which lie soverely criticized Iho
United States Military academy at
West Point as an educational Insti
tution. Now, West Point Is nn Institution
of supreme national Innortnnce. If
Dr. Eliot's criticisms can be sus-
tained, It is the manifest duty of
congress and the secretary of war to bring about
nil changes necessary to lit the institution to Its
high public purpose.
Representative I'"red A. Britten of Illinois in
troduced n resolution requesting that certain In
formation bo furnished the house by the war
department. Representative Julius Kahn of
California, chairman of the committee on military
nffnlrs, wrote to Secretnry of War Newton D.
Baker concerning tills resolution. Secretary Bnker
took this opportunity to write Representative
Kahn n long communication, which is in purpose
and effect n formal defense of West Point and
nn answer to Dr. Eliot's criticisms. In view of
the supreme Importance of West Point as nn
American institution, a summary of Secretary
Baker's defense Is well wortli printing.
Dr. Eliot's criticisms nre as follows:
1. "No American school or college Intended fo'r
youths between 18 and 20 years of age should
accept such Ill-prepared material ns West Point
accepts.
2. "No school or- college should have a com
pletely prescribed curriculum.
8. "No school or college should have its teach
ing done almost exclusively by recent graduates
f the same school or college who are not teach
ers and who serve shorjt terms.
4. "The graduates of West Point during the
World War, both In tho field and In business
ofUces, did not escape, with few exceptions, from
thft methods which they hnd been taught and
drilled In during peace. The methods of lighting
were. In the main, new and the methods of sup
ply and account ought to hnve been new. The
red-tape methods prescribed to the American
Regular Army ofllcers of passing tho buck wero
vdry mischievous nil through the actual fighting
and remnln n serious Impediment to the efficiency
of the war department to this day.
In answering criticism No 1, Secretnry Baker
sots forth the methods of admission to West
Point by congressional and presidential appoint
ment, competitive examinations, entrance exam
inations, etc. He then says In pnrt:
"From 1838 to 1015 the total number of candi
dates who have presented themselves for admis
sion to West Point lias been 17,010. Of theso
8,852 liuvo been admitted. Of tho residue 4,220
were rejected for admission by tho nendemic
hoard; S,7-I0 failed to report; 021 were rejected by
the med!cal board ; 573 wero rejected by the joint
action of the academic board and the medical
board ; C'.8 passed, for whom no vacancies existed ;
103 failed to complete the examinations; 188 de
clined appointments after completing the exami
nation, nud fiS appointments wero cnncelcd.
"It thus appears tha the process of selection Is
countrywide; that tho requirements, from n purely
ncadenilc ntandpolnt, nro adequately high, and
that the stftndnrds are rigidly enforced.
"Taking American secondary education as It is,
for rich anfl poor, In tho cltyna" In tho country,
east and wst, I am persuaded that no college
drawing Its students from n wide geographical
area compaitjs with West Point In the quality of
tho material which It receives, and If more uni
form excellence could be obtained by sectional or
class selection, surely the exchnnge would bo a
bad one for Hie nationnl constituency which tho
vcademy has always hnd."
As to crltlclim No. 2, Secretary Baker says ho
does not attaoh any value to nny opinion ho
might express ts to tho controversy between tho
prescribed curriculum nnd tho freo'electlvo sys
tems of colleg'oto education. But, ho bays, It
cannot ho conc'.-ded that West Point hns a fixed.
Inelastic and unchanging curriculum. Ho men
tions tho appointment of a board of Investiga
tion In 1017, and says It is only one In n con
tinuing series of Investigations with tho view of
adapting tho Instruction to tho demands which
the World War has shown could bo mndo upon
mllltnry men. He then says, In pnrt:
"After nil, West Point is a special school, as Is
the Nnval academy at Annapolis, as Is nny
school of mines, or of chemistry, or of lnngunges.
This does not justify the turning out of soldiers,
or mining engineers, or chemists, who know noth
ing else ; but It does justify u course of Instruction
which emphasizes the speclnlty, while It pro
duces an educated man. Tho purpose of West
Point, therefore, Is not to act as n glorified drill
sergeant, hut to lay a foundation upon which n
career of growtli"Mn mllltnry knowledge can bo
based, nnd to accompany It with two indispensable
additions; first, such n general training ns edu
cated men find necessary for intelligent Inter
course with one another, nnd second, the Incul
cation of n sot of virtues admirable always, but
Indispensable In tho soldier. Men mny be Inexact,
or even untruthful, In ordinary mnttors, nnd suf
fer as a consequence only tho dlsesteem of their
associates, or the inconveniences of unfavorable
litigation; but tliq Inexnct or untruthful soldier
trifles with iho lives of his follow men, and tho
honor of his government, nnd It is, thcreforo, no
mntter of idle pride, but rather of stern dis
ciplinary necessity thnt makes West Point re
quire of her students n chnrnctcr for trustworthi
ness which knows no evasions.
"I ought to point out that West Point is but tho
beginning of educntlon in tho army. In each of
tho services there nre continuation schools of
.growing breadth and usefulness, nnd tho plan
' toward which army education Is tending will
more nnd more seek only tho fundamentals, both
of education nnd character, at West Point, nnd
look more and more to the special schools for
the technical, scientific completion.
"A test mny bo appealed to with confidence.
During tho first hundred yenrs (1802-1002) of its
existence, 2,371 graduates of West Point left tho
nrmy to go Into civil life. Tho occupations of
these graduates are shown In tho following
table: President of the United States, 1; presi
dent of tho Confederate Stntes, 1; presidential
candidates, 3; vlcc-prcsldcntlal candidates, 2;
members of tho cabinet of tho United Stntes, 4;
ambassador, 1; ministers of the United Stntes to
foreign countries, 14; charge d'affaires of tho
United Stntes to foreign i countries, 2; United
States consul generals and consuls, 12; members
of congress, 24; United Stntes civil ofllcers of
various kinds, 171; presidential electors, 8; gov
ernors of states and territories, 10; bishops, 1;
Iloutennnt governors, 2; Judges, 14; members of
stnte legislatures, 77; presiding ofllcers of stato
senates nnd houses of representatives, 3; mem
bers of conventions for tho formation of stnto
constitutions, 13; stnto ofllcers of various grades,
51; adjutants, Inspectors nnd qunrtermaster gen
erals, nnd chief engineers of stntes nnd territories,
23; ofllcers of stato militia, 158; mayors of cities,
17; city ofllcers, 57; presidents of universities,
colleges, etc., 40; princlpnls of ncademles nnd
schools, 32; regents nnd chnncellors of educational
Institutions, 14; professors and teachers, 130;
superintendent of const survey, 1 ; surveyors gen
eral of stntes and territories, 11; chlf engineers
of stntes, 14 ; presidents of railroads and other
colorations, 87; chief engineers of rnllroads nnd
other public works, 03; superintendents of rail
roads nnd other public works, 02; treasurers and
receivers of railroads nnd otht;r corporations, 21;
civil engineers, 228; electrical engineers, 15; nt
tornoys nnd counselors nt law, 200; superior
general of clerlcnl order, 1; clergymen, 20;
physicians, 14; merchants, 122; manufacturers,
77; artists, 3; nrchltects, 7; farmers and planters,
230; bankers, 18; bank presidents, 8; bank ofll
cers, 23; editors, 30; authors, 170.
"Not all of tho foregoing occupations nro sig
nificant of intellectual supremacy or necessarily
superior training, but tho list Is one which could
not have been mndo by n collego with an Inade
quato or archaic system of education. Theso men
havo stepped out of West Point Into civil Ilfo
and qualified In large numbers for positions from
tho very highest within tho gift of tho people, In
nil wnlks of llfo; a list quite too largo nnd Im
posing to represent tho triumph of tulent over,
obstruction."
Discussing criticism No. n, Secretary Bnker
Bays that tho special character of tho education
which West Point must give limits tho field of
selection ol Its teachers. Ho defends tho practice
44444$4444444444V3
CONDENwSED 1
rf" A - V1" O
THE AWAKENING OF
HELENA RICHIE
Or MRS. MARQARBT DB LAND
ConJtnmthn tu Mlu Sara Wart EUtMtt
hx-x.S:
Mnricnrcttn Wnde
O n m i li e 1 1 Trim
liurn nt Allegheny,
I'f-nunyHnnlii, Feb.
2.1, 1S.17. When
only 1(1 nlio Trent
to JVerr York to
tuily drawing
niul ilrnlcn nml
later tuiiKlit them.
In ISM) nhe ninr
rleil I.orln Oelimil,
fniuiiiiM nn noiiie
tline football
ntrntei(l"t nRnlniit
the enemies of
llariiril.
In 1SS0 niienrei1
"The Oltl tSnrden."
n collection of Verne. It la chnriie
terlHtlc title) for ninuy cnr Mr. l)e
Inml Iiiin eneli Inter Krowti In her ovrn
houne In llONton Krent niiiuhels of
llniili hulliN, Mhlch nhe ncIIn nt nn
nnininl fitncllon to her frlemlN nml (he
public, for (lie henrllt of her fntorlte
ehitridcn. Ah mIic linen nil the lnhnr
licrnclf, It Ik NliiKnlurlr permum! form
of kooiI vtorkit.
Only tvtn jenrn Inter cnine "John
Wnril, I'reiieher," n hook Mhlch non
(he niKhor vililr recognition. There
lime been ninny others botTreen flint
nml "The AwiikcnliiK "f llelenn
ltlelile" In 10(1(1, IiicIiiiIIiik "OKI Chenter
Tnle" lu 1H11S, In which (the inmle
fnnioun her ehllilhooil home. "The
Iron AVoninn" nnpcnrril In 11)11.
tw$:&rzzz2&
kV IXkvnH . J
VSJ I
of teaching by recent graduates. He then points
out that thcro Is more permanency In the aca
demic staff than Is commonly supposed. Of tho 12
heads of departments 7 nro permanent nnd 5 aro
detailed for periods of 4 years.
Secretary Baker says, in part, concerning .
criticism No. 4:
"Nothing short of omniscience can nnalyo tho
Intricate, multiplied and scattered activities of
tho wnr department during the recent war at
homo and in the Held, give Just weight to tho
circumstances surrounding the&o activities nnd
apportion either tho credit for success or tho
blnmo for mlstnko ns between the persons on
gnged In those activities. The handful of West
Point grnduntcs, tho lnrger handful of Regular
Army ofllcers drawn from civil life, reserve ofll
cers, ofllcers of tho National Guard, and the
vastly larger body of ofllcers hastily instructed in
ofllcers' training camps altogether comprised ap
proximately 205,000 men, of whom tho West
Point graduates numbered 3,031. In the per
formance of their work these ofllcers wero nlded
by an Immense body of clvilinns captains of
Industry, masters ofjjuslness; scientific, technical,
commercial, Industrial nnd all other kinds of ex
perts worked side by side. It Is my settled con
viction that the commercial nnd Industrial or
ganization of America during the war was u
colossal success; but whether It wns or not, tho
result was -not nn outcome of tho system of edu
cation at West Point. The tiling wns done by tho
nntlon and all tho varied processes by which our
citlzenn nre trained contributed."
Ho oxplnius why federal statutes and govern
ment regulations produce red-tape; ho admits
that tho system mny ho slow nt times, but holds
that conservations of public safety require that
these transactions bo matters of record and that
the person responsible for a decision should mnko
tho decision. His explanation of passing tho buck
Is that "tnero Is as to each question a proper
person to docldo It; to nsk tho wrong person can
havo but om or tho other of two results, either
to bo referred to tho right person or get nn un
authorized answer." Ho says tho fighting was
not now, but old. Then ho says:
"Tho comment seems to imply n belief, on
President Eliot's pnrt, that graduates of West
Point havo not shown up well In the inllltnr
history of the United Stntes. It Is Incredible that
ho could really entertain tills' belief. In overj
war In which tho United Stntes has been engaged
slnco tho ncadeiny was established, Its graduates
have been conspicuous, alike for heroism and suc
cess. Tho following list Is made up of names
which Illustrate American history. They nre
graduates of the Military academy, and they are
men whoso memory wo tencii our children to
rcvero :
"Indian wars: Custer, Crooke, Wright, Macken
zie, Cooke, A. S. .Johnston, Jefferson Davis, Aber
cromble, Casey, McCnll, Canby, Rnlns.
"Mexican war: Swift, Sherman, Tottcn, Bragg,
It. E. Lee, McClellan, Benuregi.-rd, linger, Reno,
Grant, Jefferson Davis, Enrly.
Civil war: General ofllcers In Union Army, 201;
In Confederate Army, Ifil ; Grant, Sherman, Sherl
dnn, Scholleld, Buell, Burnslde, Glllmore, Hnlleck,
Hancock, Ilelntelman, Hooker, Howard, Ilimi
phrejs, Kllpatrlck, Lyon, Meade, Mcrrltt, Mc
Clellan, McDowell, Ord, Pope, Porter, Reynolds,
Rosecrans, Slocum, Thomas, Warren, Wright,
Beauregard, Bragg, Cooper, Hood, A. S. Johnston,
J. E. Johnston, It. E. Lee, Klrby Smith, Anderson,
Buckner, Enrly, Ewcll, Ilurdee, A. P. Hill, D. II.
Hill, Holmes, Jackson, S I). -Lee, Longstreet,
Pcmherton, Polk, A. P. Htownrt, Wheeler, KHz
Lee, Lovell, Pickett, J. E. B. Stuart, Van Dora.
"Spanish war: Otis, King, KHz Leo, Wheeler,
Bell, Pershing, Lnwton, Barry.
"Explorers, builders of railroads, cnnnls, light
houses, etc.; Swift, Totten, McClellan, Poo, Ab
bott, Warren, Humphreys, Tnlcott, Comstock,
Bache, Wheeler, Wright, Whistler, Sldell, Porter,
Wilson, Greene, Du Pont, Ludlow, Meigs, Grlllln,
Holden, Black, Goothals, Slocrt, Giilllard, Casey,
Hodges.
"ruhlic life: Grant, Polk, McClellan, Hancock,
Porter, Buckner, Leo, Longstreet, Du Pont, Brlggs.
"World wnr: Pershing, March, Bliss, Billiard,
Liggett, Goethals, Summerall, Jorvcy, Scott,
Graves, Blddle, McAndrow, Black, Richardson,
Connor, et al."
IN 100G Margaret Delnnd, after hav
ing written hoernl other books,
gave to the public the fruit or her
mnturer skill In "Tho Awakening of
Helena Richie."
The story Is simple.
Stripped of the charm of Its setting,
und tho subtle delicacy of its treat
ment, wo havo n tale presenting few
characters, and with no very extended
scope for action.
Tho scene of tho novel Is tho snine
small Pennsylvania town in which
Mrs. Delnnd has placed two previous
books: "Old Chester Tales" and
"Doctor Lnvendnr,"
At the opening of tho story Mrs.
Richie hns come to Old Chester and
taken up residence In tho "Stuffed
Animal House," so called bocnuso Its
former owner was n taxidermist. She
is little known to the villagers, living
an Isolated existence, and shunning
any Intimacy with the townsfolk; nev
ertheless .she is universally respected.
There Is, to be sure, an atmosphere of
mystery enshrouding this beautiful
stranger who is possessed of n culture
und poise that place her a stratum
abovo the simply bred inhabitants of
the sleepy little settlement, hut since
she goes to church, Is quiet nnd dec
orous, and gives herself no nlrs, she
furnishes no cause for criticism.
Her only visitor Is Mr. Lloyd Prior,
known to Old Chester ns her brother.
As the story proceeds, however, wo
arc made aware that Prior is not her
brother, but Is n Philadelphia widower
with one daughter whom ho Idolizes;
and that ho and Mrs. Rlchlo have for
thirteen years been living together
awaiting the death of Frederic, Hel
ena's husband, whoso tlemlso will
leave them free to marry. Frederic
has been u dissipated man who, when
not himself, has been responsible for
the death of tho Rlchlo baby; mid he
Is now living a dissolute llfo ill Paris.
The tragedy of the baby's death has
been the culminating factor In turning
his wife's hatred and contempt for
him Into revulsion, and determining
her to desert Iilm nnd go to Prior. To
her lover she gives all tho affection
which tho loss of her child and the de
struction of her hopes havo turned
hacl; into her nature.
Prior, on iho other hand, has loved
her In the past, hut now, after thir
teen years of deferred happiness, his
passion Is burned out. Ho is tired of
her. Alice, ills daughter, Is growing
tip, and he realizes tho Indiscretion of
the entanglement; furthermore his
business demands his time; It Is less
and less convenient to come to Old
Chester; nnd ho Is no longer young.
Ho Is a selfish, sensual being, with the
typical masculine distaste for every
thing that lenders him uncomfortable
cither In mind or body. While ho Is
willing, In nn Indolent sort of wny, to
continue his i elation with Mrs. Richie;
Is even honorable enough to marry her
If ho must, It Is obvious that ho would
gladly bo i Id of the whole affair.
But to llelenn Rlchlo this Incident
Is not nn "nlTnlr." It Is her life. She
loves Prior with n devotion eiigcn
deied by her lonely, hoart-slarved ex
istence, and she looks forward to the
moment when Frederic's death shall
releaso her from her present precail
ous position, nnd nllow her to confiont
the world with a clear name. That an
ultimate marriage between them will
wipe out tho blot on their past she
does not question. In tho meantime
she enn only possess her soul of pa
tience, and mnko the best of her en
forced seclusion. No ono knows her
secret. No one enn know Itt There
fore Hho feels quite secure that is, us
secure ns Is possible In tho face of
tho over-prefent danger of exposure.
Into this fevered llfo of hois threo
Important diameters project them
selves: Doctor Lnvendnr, tho minis
ter of Old Chester; Dr. Wllllnin King,
tho village physician; nnd David, uu
orphan child whom tho rector has be
friended, and for whom ho is desirous
of finding a home. Of nil Mrs. Doland's
creations none, perhaps, Is moro bo
lovcd than Is Doctor Lnvendnr. Wise,
benign, humorous; yet Just nt nil
times n mnn who Is nover to bo
turned nsldo from n principle by Idlo
sentimentality. Doctor King Is not un
like him In tills unflinching fealty to
duty and to honor.
Theso two persons put their bonds
together to decldo thnt slnco Mrs.
Rlchlo lends such n solitary llfo nnd Is
abundantly nble, she Is the ono to tnko v
the homeless David. Tho conspirators
proceed with extreme cnutlon. Th
child is brought to Doctor Lavendnr'fl
house, nnd Mrs. Richie Is given the op
portunity to see him.
Ho Is n quaint, winsome, appealing
llttlo fellow a decided personality,
and ono of tho most delightful nnd
consistent child portraits In modern
fiction. His greatest attraction lies In
the fact thnt ono can never bo suro '
what he will say next. Onco, when
Doctor Lnvendnr Is telling lilm n story
he keeps his eyes fixed so Intently on
tho man's face that the old gentleman
Is much llnttered.
"Well, well, you nro n great boy for
stories, aren't you?" remnrks tho do
llghted minister.
"You've talked seven minutes," snld
David thoughtfully, "nnd you linvcn't
moved your upper Jaw once."
As ran be Imagined the child makes
Instant conquest of Mrs. Richie, who
Insists on fitting him out with tiny gar
ments, and brings him In triumph to
the "StulTed Animal House."
Day liv day the tie thnt binds her to
David sttenglliens until we see this af
fection the dominant motif of hor
life. It even overshadows her love for
Prior, although It Is some time beforo
she Is conscious that It does so.
In Iho meanwhile, quite by chance,
the security of her inlnlaturo world Is
shaken to Its foundations. There lives
In Old Chester u youth much Mrs.
Richie's Junior, Sam Wright, who has
drifted Into the habit of calling on her,
and who falls In love with her. It Is
the blind worship of one who hns
never known passion, and In an nt
tempt to breik up the hoy's Infutun
tlon his doting grandfather comes to
Mrs. Richie, and half In Irritation ac
cuses her of not being a good woman.
The shot Is a random one, but the In
stant the chnrgo Is mndo tho spenkor
realizes he has hit upon tho truth
Helena's anger at his gibes and sar
casm Is like the whirlwind.
But the Lord wns not In tho wind.
It Is Sam Wright's sulcldo that first
brings homo to'lier tho gravity of defy
ing soclnl responsibility. What sho lias
hitherto regarded as a scorn for con
vention sho now sees to bo n crlmo
against humnnlty. All her being Is
rocked with self-reproach.
But the Lord was not In tho enrth
quakc. It Is not until Doctor King forces
her to confess her guilt, nnd tells her
sho must give up David, that wo reach
tho climax of the drama. Then nil tho
wild mother Instinct of the woman
leaps Into being. Sho Is a lioness fight
ing for her young. Sho will glvo up
Prior; In fact sho does givo him up.'
But sho will not part with David. Sho
bogs, bribes, prays; but Willy King's
conscience will not permit lilm to lis
ten to her entreaties. Sho must send
the child back to Doctor Lnvendnr, or
he must ncqunlnt the good minister
with tho entire story.
In an effort to forestall this action
Mrs. Richie herself goes to tho rectory
and beforo sho leaves It sho looks into
the fa co of hor own soul and pro
uounces her doom.
"The whirlwind of anger had died
out; the shock of responsibility had
subsided ; the hiss Of those flames of
shnnfo hnd ceased. She wns In tho
centro of nil tho tumults, whero llos
tho quiet mind of God."
When Dr. Lnvendnr asks hor If sho
thinks herself worthy to keep tho
child sho humbly whispers: "No."
And nfter the fire, tho still Small
Voice.
At Inst tho woman's conscience la
amused, her repentance Is sincere,
nnd wo havo tho true "Awakening of
Helena Richie."
How wisely Dr. Lnvendnr meets this
crisis In the shuttered life, allowing
her to taste to the full tho dregs of
remorse and suffering; nnd yet how
mercifully und gently lie leads her uH
ward toward hope and u deslro for res
titution constitute tho remainder of
the story.
Tho kind old mnn suggests that
sho make her future homo in a distant
city whero her past will not follow
her nml whero she may stnrt anew,
and lie links that on tho morning
of her departure sho come to him for
n package which he wishes her to tnko
with her on her Journey. Tho reader,
shares her shock of Joyous surpriso1
whop David emerges from tho cornor
of tho stage-coach crying:
"I'm the package I"
"Dr. Lnvendnr took both her
hands. . . . 'llelenn,' ho said, 'your
Master camo Into the world as n llttlo
child. Receive him In your lienrt by
faith, with thanksgiving.'"
So ends the novel.
To tear the skeleton of tho plot
from Its exquisite setting is almost
sacrilege. It Is like dragging tho peN
fumo from a flower. One must reutl
the book to gain u truu sense of Its
cxceptlonul benuty mid fineness.
It has been successfully dinmittlzeil
and tho title rolo ably and urtlstlcally
port ni) ed by Murgaret Aiiglln; thero
Is ulso nn "Anglln Edition" of tho
story nttrnctlwiy Illustrated by pic
tures taken from' the play.
Copyright, 1919, by ttio Post Publishing Co.
(Tho lloiiton Post). Printed by normla.
ulnn of, and nrriuiRtiinmit with, Ifurpov
K J iron., authorized piibtlsliors.
1