come established by example, by what each of us thinks
the man he looks up to is doing, thinking and planning, it seems fair
to say that the example of a few leading men of the strong sanity
which characterizes General Wood is having now or will have in the
future a great influence for good.

When we are all complaining at the changing conditions, when we see
apparently permanent organizations like the government of
thousand-year-old empires crumbling in a month, when we hear the new-old
theories for a new form of {268} existence, we are somewhat dazed,
somewhat influenced by the outward signs and somewhat skeptical about
our own small but to ourselves important outlook. At such a moment the
voice of one who says in substance: "Do not let superficial changes
--no matter how important they seem--make us forget the law of man and
nature; do not forget that the fittest survives; do not imagine that
wars are over because the most terrible one in history is just
finished; do not hesitate to prepare for your own duties and those of
your country; do not forget that organization and cooperation produce
peace, safety, prosperity and happiness"--when a voice in our land
announces this and its owner proves by his whole life the truth of his
statements, then it pays to listen and inwardly digest.

In spite of all we are being told to the contrary, there need be no
alarm for the future if the country contains enough of such leaders to
make themselves heard above the babel of new cries and beliefs,
notwithstanding the attractive pictures some of these theorists
present. For that reason leaders must always exist where progress is
to be {269} made and the great majority must stand behind them to back
them up.

The effective spear cannot do its work without its steel point, nor
yet without its long handle to force the point home.

This biographical sketch treats of one of these spear points and as
such represents to a greater or less degree all great sane leaders,
though it speaks of but one.

Leonard Wood's personality is one of mental sanity and physical
health. It is non-reactionary and non-visionary. It is military only
in the sense that the army happens to have been his business in life.
His business might have been that of the law, of banking, or leather,
without in the least changing in it. He once said of this:

"The officers of the Army and Navy are the professional servants of
the government in matters pertaining to the