assailed sharply the existing practice of "promotion by mere seniority."
In one of his messages to Congress he pointed out that a system of
promotion by merit existed in the Military Academy at West Point. He
then went on to say that from the time of the graduation of the cadets
into the army "all effort to find which man is best or worst and reward
or punish him accordingly, is abandoned: no brilliancy, no amount of
hard work, no eagerness in the performance of duty, can advance him,
and no slackness or indifference, that falls short of a court-martial
offense, can retard him. Until this system is changed we cannot hope
that our officers will be of as high grade as we have a right to expect,
considering the material from which we draw. Moreover, when a man
renders such service as Captain Pershing rendered last spring in the
Moro campaign, it ought to be possible to reward him without at once
jumping him to the grade of brigadier-general."

It is not surprising to find in this message also a name that was later
to become famous in the Great War. Roosevelt had an uncanny gift of
prophecy.

More than once, as President, he picked out for appreciation and
commendation the very men who were to do the big things for America when
the critical hour came.

CHAPTER XVI. THE LAST FOUR YEARS

When the Great War broke out in August, 1914, Roosevelt instantly
stiffened to attention. He immediately began to read the lessons that
were set for the world by the gigantic conflict across the sea and it
was not long before he was passing them on to the American people. Like
every other good citizen, he extended hearty support to the President
in his conduct of America's foreign relations in the crisis. At the same
time, however, he recognized the possibility that a time might come when
it would be a higher moral duty to criticize the Administration than to
continue unqualified support. Three weeks after war had begun, Roosevelt
wrote in "The Outlook":

"In common with the immense majority of our fellow countrymen, I shall
certainly stand by not only the public servants in control of the
Administration at Washington, but also all other public servants, no
matter of what party, during this crisis; asking only that they with
wisdom and good faith endeavor to take every step that can be taken to
safeguard the honor and interest of the United States, and, so far
as the opportunity offers, to promote the cause of peace and justice
thr