630 Presidential Addresses 



both as individuals and in the mass. The marks- 

 manship of the men must receive special attention. In 

 the circumstances of modern warfare the man must 

 act far more on his own individual responsibility 

 than ever before, and the high individual efficiency 

 of the unit is of the utmost importance. Formerly 

 this unit was the regiment; it is now not the regi- 

 ment, not even the troop or company; it is the in- 

 dividual soldier. Every effort must be made to 

 develop every workmanlike and soldierly quality in 

 both the officer and the enlisted man. 



I urgently call your attention to the need of pass- 

 ing a bill providing for a general staff and for the 

 reorganization of the supply departments on the 

 lines of the bill proposed by the Secretary of War 

 last year. When the young officers enter the army 

 from West Point they probably stand above their 

 compeers in any other military service. Every ef- 

 fort should be made, by training, by reward of 

 merit, by scrutiny into their careers and capacity, 

 to keep them of the same high relative excellence 

 throughout their careers. 



The measure providing for the reorganization of 

 the militia system and for securing the highest effi- 

 ciency in the National Guard, which has already 

 passed the House, should receive prompt attention 

 and action. It is of great importance that the re- 

 lation of the National Guard to the militia and vol- 

 unteer forces of the United States should be de- 

 fined, and that in place of our present obsolete laws 

 a practical and efficient system should be adopted. 



