The San Francisco call., 1899-07-10
NO MERCENHRIES.

n Moscow is the great hospital DOM to which the
foundlings OF the whole empire are sent to be
reared as the children Of the In that lnstl-
tuition boys are reared knowing parents, no tam
ily nothing but the state to be put into the army as
officers Theoretically and practically this secures
degree of fidelity that has proved to be necessary
support OF autocracy The child OF the state has no
family pride nor tradition. What the state orders IS
the command OF father and mother. This system OF
basng auocracy the accident OF bastardy OF whch
so little is known outside the empire great degree
accounts for the remorseless things done in Poland
in the Caucasus, in Finland and the Khanates. The
state wants mercenaries Sin and shame supply them,
and the covert faults OF poor humanity build wall
around men and races, over which the rights OF man
cannot go.
Freedom is Interchangeable. So is tyranny Impe-
rialism is the same cult everywhere
If the outgivngs from Washington are correct, IS
methods in this country the in every land
where they have been applied.
If this is a republic the people who furnish the
blood and the money required for its maintenance
have right to the fullest knowledge OF all matters,
in war and peace, prosecuted in their name. Early
in our undeclared in the Philippines 1t was SAID
by soldiers who knew the theater upon which that
war must be fought, and by civilians who knew the
people who must be subjugated by it, that 100000 to
10000 soldiers would be required there. The com
handing general in Manila successor to Weyler as
Governor General as early as the 8th OF February
reported the rebellion over This report he repeated
from time 10 time up to the last OF June when he said
it would be over except for the animperlast sent1-
nent in the United States, and that he must have
more men The administration is raising the men.
Its method is by recruiting the regular army re
cruiting stations. call the States for volunteers
TO be filed by the National Guard organizations
would be promptly answered and any quota demanded
would be met 1t is given from the office OF the
adutant general that there various reasons for
refusing the call for volunteers Ii is said that regulars
are preferable: State organizations enlist too much
popular interest; in every volunteer regiment there
is sure to be newspaper man; the operations OF vol
unteers death and disease among them are fully
reported.
On the other hand no personal interest is felt in the
regulars The case OF the immunes is cited. Ten
regiments OF these blacks were recruited regulars
during the Spanish war any number OF them might
have been killed, wounded or diseased, and no one
would have cared; but whenever anything wrong
with the volunteers Congressman, Governors and
even State Legislatures to the front to demand
OF the President and Secretary OF War the rgtng OF
whatever was wrong. To rid itself OF this popular
interest the War Department prefers class OF sol
diers who do not excite 1t. In other words an army
as nearly mercenary as can be found Is required to
carry out an imperial policy With such an army in
the Spanish war there would have been no complaint
about rotten beef Contractors could have sold unfit
food at the highest price for the best. The regulars
could have died OF eating it and the taxpayers could
have footed the bill and everything would have gone
as smoothly as the advanced student OF addition,
division and silence could desire.
Another reason given for this method OF providing
troops IS that it will not be necessary for the people
to know how many are enlisted. As it happens that
the people are paying eight hundred thousand dollars
day for this Philippine may be found expe
dent to treat them with more frankness 1t may be
set down as automatic that any act OF the Executive
OF republic which requires concealment
rom the people IS an act that has no right in it.