Show I Kathleen Norris Says Say S What About Military Training S Belt Bell Syndicate Features t 4 I AiA u ft 1 gj dH TT rF t 1 r j f It is only fair to our boys to have haie them ready We didn't didn want it we wc tried to do without it but for 50 SO years to come 1 I believe beliele we wc must maintain a huge force I By KATHLEEN NORRIS VORRIS ORE than American MORE M women have written to ask me what I think of compulsory military service for our American boys and girls I dont don't often let political or international international international inter inter- national questions get into this column but this is an exception and I want to answer these women women women wom wom- en in this way In a word Im I'm for it I think we might well emulate the Swiss system system system tem which means only a few weeks out of every year or at least we might make a serious study of that system But if we are to be drawn into Europe's eternal boundary disputes disputes disputes dis dis- dis- dis and imperial quarrels in each succeeding generation then in the name of common sense let us be ready for it and save the lives of thousands of our boys by prepared prepared- ness It was my dream for many years that by keeping the peace herself America might set the pace for the world I still believe she might have done so I still believe that if European countries had known definitely and clearly that we would not interfere in their old quarrels they would have managed their affairs affairs affairs af af- af- af fairs very differently in the last 25 years The northern civilized countries respecters of boundaries and of individual individual individual in in- rights would then have gotten gotten got got- gotten ten together They would have presented presented presented pre pre- a solid wall to Germany in inthe inthe inthe the very beginning of her anti- anti I Semitic purges they would have I united a dozen weak armies into one invincible one They never did Holland England Norway Sweden France Poland Belgium Russia Russia- what mightn't they have done against Germanys Germany's growing war menace r They never got together Europe Wont Won't Unite It is my sorrowful belief that they never will Their claim when any such federation is suggested is that their differing languages religions backgrounds traditions histories make it impossible This sounds funny in American ears The truth is that their varying imperial ambitions ambitions ambi cross and intercross after a thousand years of shifting loyalties and ineffectual wars and now cannot cannot cannot can can- not be untangled even by their most brilliant statesmen So I have no hopes of them Each one will do what some wise or unwise unwise unwise un un- un- un wise minister believes best for her and chaos will result Meanwhile we have our own magnificent magnificent magnificent mag mag- record our long friendship with our neighbors our peaceful skies our unguarded borders We know countries may live in peace together and prosper all the more for that peace But the deadly virus of war has been scattered everywhere everywhere everywhere ev ev- ev- ev now and who knows what country will next break forth with improved guns and bombs and gases for a surprise attack It is only fair to our boys to have them ready We didn't want it we tried to do without it but for forY forit Y J it J l-J l J l J s 3 zi d 17 17 I f 4 I Ironing cut Gut class consciousness A HARSH NECESSITY After many years of advocating advocating advocat advocat- advocating ing neutrality and non non-in nonintervention non tion Miss liss Norris has come to the conclusion that the only security in the future for America lies in ina a large permanent force land sea ea and air This great army and navy will mean universal military military military mili mili- tary training for young men The women's auxiliary corps will require require require re re- re- re quire many thousands of o f girls too although a draft of women probably never will be instituted There are certain benefits to military training as Miss Norris points out that to some extent offset the 0 objections b Better health wider experience and broader viewpoints are valuable products by-products o of f army life in peace peace- time 50 years to come I believe we must maintain a sea and air force of perhaps three million men and an auxiliary force involving perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps third one-third that many women These will be our police A great city without a police force would be in the same position as a great nation with its navy sunk and its men disarmed Other nations must know that we are ready to implement implement implement ment with the guns they have forced upon us what we say in defense of decency and honesty Might Have B Been en Stopped If our three or four four million army had been in readiness eight years ago when Germanys Germany's fanaticism broke forth in her Semitic anti-Semitic purges we might have seen the danger danger dan dan- danger ger then We might have warned her then that her maniac leader was starting on the death trail We We- might never have had the headlines that you and I are reading today Too late for that now But it is never too late to learn and I who preached non-interventionism non and neutrality for so many years from so many platforms see now that we weare weare weare are a part of the great commonwealth commonwealth commonwealth common common- wealth of the world that we cannot cannot cannot can can- not impress upon other nations our own ideals of friendliness friendliness ness with our neighbors that we must accept a certain degree of militarism until all nations are wiser and be ready to say thus i far and no further when the next Hitler pops up his ugly head Military training is essential to dictatorship true But it may be a democratic thing toot too ironing out some of the class consciousness of our boys and girls helping them to appreciation of home love and home comfort broadening their viewpoints in a way that will be beneficial to them all their lives I haven't come to it easily But Ive I've come to it now We have to have universal military training and be ready It may mean to other other other oth oth- er countries an increasing desire for war It wont won't be that to us Were We're smarter than that |