Show Preparedness Discussed by American Newspapers DEMOCRACY AND MILITARY SERVICE From the Chicago Tribune I do not see how any anyone one can claim for tor the individual the right of manhood suffrage without conceding the duty of or universal military service ser ser- vice This in effect was the most significant assertion of at one of or Americas America's Americas America's Amer Amer- ica's teas leading citizens It is but an assertion of or the Ule prine prill ciple embodied in ill our federal constitution const which creates a militia and orthe ot or the federal law which provides that it shall consist of every able bodied male citizen or alien who has declared declared de de- de- de dared his intention to become a citizen citizen citizen cit cit- cit cit- izen between the ages of ot 18 and 45 46 What congress has failed to do up to this time has been to provide for forand forand forand and insist upon the training of or this militia for the service to which at the will of the nation expressed through its government it is legally liable to perform When the Tribune and other advocates cates ates of efficient and adequate defense defense defense de de- de- de speak of universal military I training many opponents assume that we advocate a departure from an American principle I That is an error We advocate only a departure from froman an American method I The volunteer The volunteer system js s supposed to be an essential method of D De De- De It Is essentially undemocratic It Is supposed to be efficient as bringing to the colors men Inen who have willed to fight instead of men who have been compelled to fight It has proved in all our principal wars so inefficient that it has been given up in the midst of the struggle and service adopted in place of it It has repeatedly Imperiled imperiled imper Imper- fled the national cause and It has as cost untold waste in blood and treas- treas ure ureThe The volunteer system permits the thc selfish citizen to shirk shirl Upon the patriotic patriotic pa paT the burden he is in principle bound to help sustain It expends with lavish hand the most devoted and valuable lives of the republic while the self self seeker seeker survives And Andin Andin Andin in the end it breaks down and is discarded dis dis- carded The volunteer system involves the minimum of military efficiency the maximum of personal injustice It Itis Itis Itis is vicious in principle and In practice and this is not theory but the proved lessons of Justice and public policy polley alike de de- de mand that the principle of ot universal citizen service be realized in this republic republic re re- re- re public Prejudice and false sentiment sentiment oppose oppose oppose op op- pose it Which will prevail Other democracies have Ilave determined determined deter deter- mined tills this question in favor of or universal universal universal uni uni- versal service Switzerland service Switzerland the Australian Australian Aus Aus- commonwealths France Are Arel we to wait for the dire compulsions of war to bring about this reform or shall we act with wisdom and forethought forethought fore fore- thought now while peace remains Shall we give life to our principle Continued on pate page 12 PREPAREDNESS I Continued from page 4 4 or cling to a wasteful and fallacious tradition Senator Chamberlain has introduced introduced intro intro- a bill to provide for universal military training It presents the most important Issue Is- Is issue is sue before congress The nation will not be prepared for defense until the principle upon which this 1 bill 1111 is based is made effective ef ef- ef EDUCATE MEN TO BE OFFICERS OFFICER From the Los Log Angeles Examiner The other day Lord Kitchener announced announced an that Russia would put new troops in the field next spring Replying to this a German military writer asks where Russia will find enough officers to command new troops The German military writer hits the nail on the head Troops without officers are as useless as troops without equipment We Americans ought to realize this and ought to begin to train men to be We have a single national school for tor training officers There have been more officers killed on the I British side alone in the past six months than West Vest Point has graduated graduated graduated I since the civil war I Think that over Then Titer you Jou will se see how badly off I this country of ours would be be for officers to command its volunteer troops In case of sudden war The Examiner has proposed and still proposes a remedy for this con con- It is establishment of ot national universities for training young men mento mento mento to be officers |