Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-16

A Plan to Raise an Army of Country's
Defenders.

Defenders.
From the New York Herald.
A movement to enlist among the future
defenders of the country the students of
the schools and colleges has been begun by
Lafayette Post. q. A. r.. and the national
encampment, which is to meet in Indian
apolis. will be asked to take steps to put
the posts plan In operation
4. l.. Zalinski, captain of the fifth United
States artillery; Floyd Garrison and Joseph
j. Little. committee to consider the mat
ter, have prepared the resolutions and out
lined a plan.
We look to the people for defense" they
say. and TO make them quickly effective
as soldiers they must have military train
ing. The military training obtained largely
In other countries by universal service is
entirely out OF the question with U.S. BY
causing military instruction to be given
during the years of attendance in the
schools nothing is taken from the product
I've energies Of the country. On the con-
trary, the physical training and exercises
enhance the physical and mental yigor of
the boys, teach them useful habits of order
ana subordination, tend to give executive
ability and sends them into the active world
better fitted to cope with its difficulties
The expense involved would be triftinr
Suitable places for drilling in Indictment
weather could be easily secured. In many
places the armories of the national guard
organizations may be utilized as school
drills usually lake place in the day time
when the national guard organizations are
not using them. Two exercises per week of
from nfty-nr minutes TO one hours dura-
ton each would not make an excessive de-
mand upon the time of the pupils.
How They Can He Instructed
"A single Instructor has been able to thus
effectively drill fifteen hundred Latin and
High School boys Of Boston. In many cases
1t could be possible to find members of the
national guard who are willing to devote
some OF their time TO this patriotic work
In time IL may be possible to secure the
services OF officers and non-commissioned
onlcers of the Regular army"
The encampment is to be asked TO mass
these resolutions:
Resolved, That the members Of the
Grand Army of the Republic cordially in
oorse the language of Comrade BENJAMIN
harrison. addressed to the National Asso-
clauon OF Teachers. that the strength and
defense of our Institutions, not only in
peace but in war. is TO be found in the
young of the land, who have received from
the lips of patriotic teachers the story of
the sacrifice which our fathers made 10
establish our civil constitutions and which
their sons had repeated on hundreds of
battleiields. The organized army of the
United States, even IL We include the MI
litia of the states, is of magnificent propor-
tons when put in contrast with the armies
of the other great powers of the world
Our strength is not in these. Ii is in the
great reserve to be found in the Instructed
young of our land, who come TO our defense
in time OF peril
Necessary Legal steps.
Resolved. That this twenty-seventh an
nual national encampment is OF the opinion
that the Grand Army of the Republic takes
a deep interest in all efforts to provide for
the future defense of the country, and that
1t recommends an organized effort TO i'm
press upon the various municipal and state
authorities the advisabiity of the adoption
of a system by which scholars attending
public and private schools, as well as the
high schools and colleges. shall receive in
struction In military matters. and TO i'm
press upon the rising generations Of the
country the fact that as American citizens
II is their high duty to bring to the defense
OF their country in its need the education
which they may have received in this par
ucular in their youthful days.
Resolved, That IL is the recommensa-
ton Of this national encampmeut that the
department commanders give especial at
tention to the accomplishment of this oh
1ect through staff officer, and that the
posts in the various cities. towns and vii
lagos, by committees public meetings ana
other means. give their earnest co-opera
ton and support in securing necessary
legislative. municipal and school board
action, as well as TO obtain. where re-
quired. national aid by provision OF arms,
and instructors"