RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF
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HAHLES V. ELIOT, president emert
tus of Harvard university, made an
nddress not long ago before the
Hnrvnrd Teachers' association, In
which he severely criticized (he
United States Military academy at
West Point as an educational insti
tution. Now, West Point Is an Institution
of supreme national Inportunce. If
4 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 (it the institution to Its
high public purpose.
Representative Fred A. Britten of Illinois In
troduced a resolution requesting that certain in
formation bo furnished the house by the war
department. Representative Julius Kuhn of
California, chairman of the committee on military
affairs, wrote to Secretary of Wur Newton D.
jBaker concerning this resolution. Secretary Baker
took this opportunity to write Representative
Itahn a long communication, which is In purpose
and effect a formal defense of West Point and
an answer to Dr. Eliot's criticisms. In view of
tho supreme Importance of West Point as an
-American Institution, a summary of Secretary
Baker's defense Is well worth printing.
Dr. Eliot's criticisms are ns follows:
1. "No American Bchool or collego Intended for
youths between 18 and 20 years of age should
ccept such ill-prepared material as West Point
accepts.
2. "No school or collego should havo a com
pletely prescribed curriculum.
3. "No school or college should have its teach
ing done almost exclusively by recent graduates
of the same school or .college who are not teach
es and' who serve short terms.
4. "Tho graduates of West Point during the
"World War, both In tho field and in business
offices, did not escape, with few exceptions, from
tho methods which they had been taught and
drilled in during peace. The methods of lighting
were, in tho main, new nnd tho methods 'of sup
ply and account ought to have been new. Tho
red-tape methods prescribed to the American
Regular Army ofllcera of passing tho buck wero
very mischievous all through tho actual fighting
End remain a serious impediment to the efficiency
f the war department to this day.
In answering criticism No 1, Secretnry Baker
sets forth the methods of admission to West
Point by congressional and presidential appoint
ment, competitive examinations, entrance exam
inations, etc. lie then snys.Mn pnrt:
"From 1838 to 1015 tho total number of candi
dates who have presented themselves for admis
sion to West Point has been 17,019. Of these
8,852 havo been admitted. Of tho residue 4,220
were rejected for admission "by tho ncademlc
l)oard j 2.74G failed to report ; 021 wero rejected by
" ' the medical board ; 573 wero rejected by tho Joint
action of tho ncademlc board and tho medical
J)ourd ; G98 passed, for whom no vacancies existed ;
108 failed to complete the examinations; 188 de
fined appointments after completing tho exami
nation, and 53 appointments wero canceled.
"It thus appears that the process of selection Is
Countrywide ; thnt the requirements, from n purely
academic standpoint, are adequately high, and
that tho standards nro rigidly .enforced.
"Taking American secondary education nsvlt r8,
for rich and poor, In the city and In tho country,
fast and west, I am persuaded that no college
. drawing its students from n wide geographical
nrea compares with West Point In the quality of
the material which It receives, and if more uni
form excellence could be obtained ity sectional or
class selection, surely the exchange would be n
bad one for tho national constituency which tho
ncndenVy has always had."
. As to criticism No. 2, Secretary Baker says he
(does not nttnch nny value to any opinion ho
might express ns to tho controversy between tho
prescribed curriculum and tho freo elective sys
tems of colleglnto education. But, he suys, It
cannot bo conceded that West Point hns n fixed,
Inelastic and unchanging curriculum, rio men
tions Ujo appointment of n board of investiga
tion in 1017, anil says it Is only ono In n con
tinuing series of Investigations with tho view of
adapting tho Instruction to tho demands which
the World War has shown could lip made upon
military men. lie thou hays, In part:
"After all, West Point Is a spoclul school, as is
the Naval academy at Annapolis, as Is nny
school of mines, or of chemistry, or of languages.
Tills does not Justify the turning out of soldiers,
or mining engineers, or chemists, who know noth
ing else; but It does Justify a course of Instruction
which emphasizes the specialty, while It pro
duces an educated man. The purpose of West
Point, therefore, Is not to act as a glorified drill
sergeant, but to lay a foundation upon which n
enreer of growth In military knowledge can lie
based, and to accompuny It with two Indlspensablo
additions; first, Mich n general training ns edu
cated men find necessary for Intelligent Inter
course with one another, nnd second, the Incul
cation of n set of virtues admirable always, but
Indispensable In tho soldier. Men mny be Inexact,
or even untruthful, In ordinary matters, and suf
fer as a consequence only the dlsosteem of their
associates, or the inconveniences of unfavorable
litigation; but the Inexact or untruthful soldier
trifles with the lives of Ids fellow men, and the
honor of his government, nnd it Is, therefore, no
matter of Idle pride, but rather of stern dis
ciplinary necessity thnt makes West Point re
quire of her students n character for trustworthi
ness which knows no evasion".
"I ought to point out thnt West Point Is but the
beginning of education In the nrmy. In each of
the services thero are continuation schools of
growing breadth nnd usefulness, nnd tho plan
toward which army education Is tending will
more and more seek only the 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 may be appealed to with confidence.
During the first hundred years (1802-1002) of its
existence, 2,371 graduates of West Point left tho
army to go Into civil life. Tho occupations of
theso graduates are shown In tho following
tnble: President of the United States, 1; presi
dent of the Confederate States, 1 ; presidential
candidates, 3; vlce-presldentlnl candidates, 2;
members of tho cabinet of the United States, 4;
ambassador, 1; ministers of tho United States to
foreign countries, 14; charge d'affaires of tho
United States to foreign countries, 2; United
States cous,ul generals and consuls, 12; members
of congress, 24; United States civil officers of
various kinds, 171; presidential electors, 8; gov
ernors of stntes and territories, 10; bishops, 1;
Ileutennnt governors, 2; Judges, 14; members of
stntoleglslatures, 77; presiding officers of state
senntes and houses of representatives, 8; mem
bers of conventions for the formntlon of state
constitutions, 13; stnto officers of various grades,
51; adjutants, inspectors and qunrtormnster gen
erals, and chief engineers of stntes ami territories,
28; officers of state militia, 158; mnyors of cities',
17; city officers, 57; presidents of universities!
colleges, etc., 40; prlnclpnls of academies and
schools, 32 ; regents nnd chancellors of educatlonnl
institutions, 14; professors nnd teachers, 130;
superintendent of coast survey, 1 ; surveyors gen
eral of states and territories, 11 ; chief engineers
of states, 14; presidents of railroads and other
corporations, 87; chief engineers of railroads anTl
other public works, 03; superintendents of rail
roads and other public works, 02; treasurers and
receivers of railroads and other corporations, 21;
civil engineers, 228; electricnl engineers, C; at
torneys and counselors nt law, 200; superior
general of clerical order, ; clergymen, 20;
physicians, 14; merchants, 122; nianufttcturers',
77; artists, 3; architects, 7; farmers nnd planters)
230; bnnkers, 18; bank presidents, 8; bnnk offi
cers, 23; editors, 30; authors, 170.
"Not nil of tho foregoing occupations nro slg
nlficant of Intellectual supremacy or necessarily
superior training, but the list Is ono which could
not havo been mnilo by a collego with an Inndo
qunto or archaic system of education. Theso men
have stepped out of West Point Into civil llfo
nnd qunllfied In Inrgo numbers for positions from
tho very highest within the gift of the people, In
nil walks of llfo; a list quite too largo and Im
posing to represent tho triumph of talent over
obstruction."
Discussing criticism No. n, Secretary Baker
soys that the special character of tho education1
which West Point must glvo limits tho field of
selection of Its teachers. Ho defends tho practice
of teaching by roeont graduates. Ho then points
out that there Is more permanency In the aca
demic staff than Is commonly supposed. Of the 12
heads of departments 7 are permanent and 5 nro
detailed for periods of 4 years.
Secretary Baker bays, In part, concerning
criticism No. 4:
"Nothing short of omniscience can nnnlyzo the
Intricate, multiplied and scattered activities of
the war department during the recent war at
home aid in the field, give Just weight to tho
circumstances Mirroundlng these activities and
apportion either the credit for success or the
blame for mistake as between the persons en
gaged In Uiom! activities. The handful of West
Point graduates, the larger handful of Regular
Army officers drawn from civil life, reserve offi
cers, officers of the National Guard, and the
vastly lurger body of officers hastily Instructed In
officers training camps altogether 'comprised np
proxlmntely 205,000 men, of whom tho West
Point graduates numbered 3,081. In tho per
formance of their work these officers wero aided
by an Immense body of civilians captains of
Industry, masters of business ; scientific, technical,
commercial, Industrial and ull other kinds of ex
perts worked side by side. It is my Kettletl con
viction that the commercial and Industrial or
ganization of America during the war wus n
colossal success; but whether it was or not, the
result was not nn outcome of tho system of edu
cation at West Point. The thing was done by the
nntlon anil nil the varied processes by which our
citizens are trained contributed."
Ho explains why federal statutes and govern
ment regulations produce red-tape; he admits
that the system may be slow at times, but holds
thnt conservations of public safety requlreMhiit
these transactions he matters of record and that
the person responsible for a decision should make
the decision. Ills explanation of passing the buck
Is that "thero Is as to each question n proper
person to decide It; to nsk the .wrong person enn
hnve but ono or the other of two results, either
to bo referred to tho right person or gpt un un
authorized answer." Ho says tho fighting wus
not new. but 9ld. Then he says:
"The comment seems to Imply a belief, on
President Eliot's part, that graduates of! West
Point have not shown up well in the military
history of tho United Stutes. It is Incredible that
ho could reully entertain this belief. In every
war In which the United States has been engaged
sinco the academy was established, Its graduates
havo been conspicuous, alike for heroism and suc
cess. Tho following list Is mnde up of names
which Illustrate American history. They ure
graduates of tho Military academy, nnd they are
men whose memory wo teach our children to
revere :
"Indian wars: Custer, Crooke, Wright, Macken
zie, Cooke, A. S. Johnston, Jefferson Davis, Aber
cromble, Casey, McCnll, Canby, Rains.
"Mexican war: Swift, Sherman, Totten, Bragg,
It. E. Lee, McClcllnn, Beauregard, Huger, Reno,
Grant, Jefferson Davis, Early.
Civil war: General officers In Union Army, 201;
In Confederate Army, 151 ; Grunt, Sherman, Sheri
dan, Scholleld, Buell, Buinslde, Glllmore, Hnlleck,
Hancock, lleintzelman, Hooker, Howard, Hum
phreys, Kllpatrlek, Lyon, Meade, Merrltt, Mc
Clelhin, McDowell, Ord, Pope, Porter, Reynolds,
Rosecrans, Slocum, Thomas, Warren, Wright,
Beauregard, Bragg, Cooper, Hood, A. S. Johnston,
.7. E. Johnston, It. E. Lee, Klrby Smith, Anderson,
Buckner, Early, Ewell, Hardee, A. P. Hill, D. II.
Hill, Holmes, Jackson, S. I. Lee, Longstreot,
Pemberton, Polk, A. P. Stewart, Wheeler, Fltz
Leo, Lovell, Pickett. J. E. B. Stuart, Van Horn.
"Spanish war: Otis, King, Fltz Lee, Wheeler,
Bell, Pershing, Lnwton, Barry.
"Explorers, builders of railroads, cannls, light
houses, etc.; Swift, Totten, McClcllnn, Pop, Ab
bott, Wan en, Humphreys, Talcott, Comstoek,
Boche, Wheeler, Wright, Whistler, Sldell, Porter.
Wilson, Greene, Du Pont, Ludlow, Meigs, Griffin
Ilolden, Black, Qoothals, Slbert, Galllard, Cas-ey
Hodges.
"Public llfo: Grant, Polk, McClellnn, Hancock
Porter, Buckner, Lee, Longstreet, Du Pont, Brltv
"World war: Pershing, March, Bliss, Bullai
Liggett, Goethnls, Summernll, Jervev, Sen
Graves, Blddle, McAndrow, Black, Richard-
Connor, et a!,"
LEGION
(Copy for Thin Uppariiimnt .Supplied by
National lle.itluuiirturs of tliu
Anicrlttin I-okIoh.)
EX-SERVICE MEN IN SPORTS
Olympic Games WIN Recall Ancient
Days When All Athletes Were
Flohting Men.
Until the Oxford-Cnpihrldge relay
team went to the Pennsylvania relay
carnival a short time ago and won the
mile relay race from some of the fleet
est tonus In the United Stales. Amer
ican athletes looked upon the Olympic
games to he held at Antwerp as being
designed more or less for their own
particular amusement. The victory of
the English runners at Philadelphia
was .something of a shock, and some
dopesters are willing to concede that
the Stars and Stripes may not after
nil break tape first In all the events.
Contrary to general belief, there will
be quite a sprinkling of ex-service men
In the American team. One athletic
expert has estimated that 00 per cent
or more of the competitors will be vet
erans of some branch of the service.
Many of these on form should be placed
high In the events. Athletes the ama
teurstravel at so fast a pace that
they do not remain at their top form
for long, but many of the ex-service
men still are leading in track and Held.
We have, for Instance. Pat Ryan,
former artilleryman, for the artillery
is an Ideal branch for a hammer
thrower. Pat Is .still the world's cham
pion and the record holder. In tho
Inter-Allied games In Paris a year ago
he was only allowed to glvo an exhibi
tion. The French were nfraht that Pat
would mess up some of the spectators
If he were permitted to put the full
heave into the hammer.
Earl W. Eby Is ono of tho besMnld
die distance runners In tho United
States. Ho won tho 400-meter race
and finished second in the 800-meter
race; at the Inter-Allied games.
Nick Glanakopolos Is a likely winner
of the Marathon. Nick not only served
in the world war, but he was nutting
around through the Mexican expedition
under Pershing. Nick was such nn
expert at k. p. that ho was known to
two armies as "Soup."
Ex-service men are looming up In nil
sections as candidates for tho Amer
ican Olympic team. The Middle West
.
.
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FIGHT THE FOUR-FOLD BILL
NICK GIANAKOPOLOS.
Is putting up C. E. Hlgglns In two of
the ancient sports, tho Javelin and dis
cus events. California Is banking on
Clinch's Paddock to tnkq the 100 and
200-meter races. He won both of these
events In the Inter-Allied gomes.
WHAT THE LEGION HAS DONE
Established service station nt na
tional headquarters and system of co
operating war risk officers In every
state, thereby adjusting thousands of
compensation claims for dependents of
men who diet or wero disabled.
National headquarters alone, which
takes up only tho most complicated
cases that cannot be handled by posts
or state heudquurters, has settled In
dividual claims aggregating approxi
mately $1,000,000, between November
11, 1010, nnd May 15, 1020.
Tho American Legion was conceived
In Paris, February 15, 1010, at a gath
ering of twenty members- of the A. E.
F. Prior to tho "Membership Push"
It hud more than 1,500,000 members
tn more than 0,000 posts throughout
America and foreign countries, besides
more than 800 women's auxiliary units.
How's that for u "youngster" fifteen
mouths 'bid?
Tho MMiute recently passed the bill
adopted In tho hoiihe October 30, 1010,
providing for the deportation of cer
tain undesirable alien and denying
readmlsslou to those thus deported.
This measure embodied principles fa
vored y tho Legion at Its St. Louis
caucus lu May, 1010, and Its passage
was largely duo to tho efforts of the
Legion's natlonnl legislative commit
tee, of which Thomas W. Miller is
chairman.
Rotary Club of North Carolina Among
Others Expressing Disapproval
of the Measure.
Members of the Rotary club of Wil
mington, North Carolina, who recently
wired senators and congressmen urg
ing rejection of the American Legion's
fourfold optional compensation bill
saying they did not believe ex-service
men wanted a "free will offering from
the government," are denounced In a
resolution adopted nt n mass meeting
of approximately 5(H) ex-service men
of their own community.
The resolution recites that the Wil
mington post of the American Legion
had already gone on record In favor
of the hill ami that therefore the
Rotary club members could not have
felt they were expressing the real
sentiment of ex-service men.
"We believe." the resolution reads
In part, "that said Rotary club mem
bers have used this phrase as a clonic
to cover their true nelllsh desires, lie-
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LEMUEL DOLLES.
cause they would bo affected financial
ly by the passage of such a hill.
Commenting on tho resolution nnd
the situation which gave rise to It,
Lemuel holies, natlonnl adjutant ot
the Legion, declared tho case wn?
characteristic of the stand taken bj
opponents of tho measure generally
In various pnrts of the country.
"These enemies of the hill," he said
"have deliberately nnd repeatedly
garbled the truth even to the extent
of disseminating as facts statements
which they know to be false. Every
Intelligent American knows that the
sentiment of ex-service men ns a
whole is overwhelmingly In favor of
adjusted compensation. They hnve
weighed tho argument on both sides
and fully believe the measure to be
not only Just nnd fair but consistent
with tho welfnro of the country us
well. This hns been repeatedly
proven ami reported to "congress fol
lowing exhaustive canvasses In overy
stnto under the direct supervision of
members of the Legion's national ex
ecutlve committee."
WILL CONVENE IN CLEVELAND
Call Issued for Second National Con.
vention of Legion to Be Held
September 27-29.
The cnll for the second national con
ventlou of the American Legion, to
ho held nt Cleveland September 27, 28
and 20, nnd1 which approximately .V
500 delegates nnd alternates. In addi
tion to some 10,000 visiting Legion
naires and their families, are expect
ed to nttend, was Issued from Legion
national headquarters recently.
Representation In the convention
will Iip by state dppnrtments, ench de
partment being entitled to five dele
gates and an additional delegate for
each 1.000 members fully paid up by
thnt department according to the
books of the national treasurer nt tho
close of business August 28, 1920.
Each department nlso Is entitled to n
number of alternates equal to the
number of ItK delegates, but alternates
will have power to vote only In the
absence of the regular delegates.
Tho convention Is called, the cnll
recites, for the purpose of clotting of
ficers for tho ensuing year, aomndlng
tho natlonnl constitution and for the
transaction of such other business ns t
may bo brought before It In conform
ity with tho nntlonal constitution.
The term of office of the present
natlonnl executive committee will ex
pire with the adjournment of the con
vention and the now committee will
convene within twenty-four hours
after this adjournment. Members of
both old and new conmilttoos are ex
pected to attend this meeting, and one
to be held by the old commlttae, prob
ably September 25.
Each delegation may be accompa
nied to the convention by scvh mem
bers of the Legion nnd their families
as It sees fit to Invite. As fur us sj nc
will penult, tickets to the convention
will bo Issued to each department
delegation for tho convenience of
these guests.
The convention committee, of whMi
C. C. Chambers, 1720 East Twentj.
second street, Cleveland, 0 Is chair
man, has charge of arrangements for
tho convention.
Many Ranchers In Band.
Reveille Post No. 14 of Lovellen,
Neb., Is made up mostly ol v;,: lu-iv
who travel many miles to c-iuC! i)..c
meetlugs.
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