There is, however, need of supplementary legislation. Thorough military
education must be provided, and in addition to the regulars the
advantages of this education should be given to the officers of the
National Guard and others in civil life who desire intelligently to fit
themselves for possible military duty. The officers should be given the
chance to perfect themselves by study in the higher branches of this
art. At West Point the education should be of the kind most apt to turn
out men who are good in actual field service; too much stress should not
be laid on mathematics, nor should proficiency therein be held to
establish the right of entry to a _corps d'élite_. The typical
American officer of the best kind need not be a good mathematician;
but he must be able to master himself, to control others, and to show
boldness and fertility of resource in every emergency.

Action should be taken in reference to the militia and to the raising
of volunteer forces. Our militia law is obsolete and worthless. The
organization and armament of the National Guard of the several States,
which are treated as militia in the appropriations by the Congress,
should be made identical with those provided for the regular forces. The
obligations and duties of the Guard in time of war should be carefully
defined, and a system established by law under which the method of
procedure of raising volunteer forces should be prescribed in advance.
It is utterly impossible in the excitement and haste of impending war
to do this satisfactorily if the arrangements have not been made
long beforehand. Provision should be made for utilizing in the first
volunteer organizations called out the training of those citizens who
have already had experience under arms, and especially for the selection
in advance of the officers of any force which may be raised; for careful
selection of the kind necessary is impossible after the outbreak of war.