The Detroit times., 1908-03-30
Editorials BY the People.
The Dick Military Mn.

To the Editor OF The Times: The
Dick military bill Is To our supposedly
free country what the conscription ~
To Russia. Germany. and other Euro
seesH-eotint riess- Its erect rs To make
practically every ablssbodfed citizen or
intended citizen. soldier whether he
wlll OF not, and in addition, IL makes
possible stlie creation and setting up or
a. military despotism and Dictatorship.
once an order Issues (uhder this law
from the military dictator. there Is no
appeal from II. save only TO court
martial. to be composed of autocratic
oIhcers, appointed by the dictator.
civil rights and liberties thereby be-
come as so much chan To be thrown In
! the mud and trampled upon with con
tempt. by the dictator. his conferees.
and his few chosen subordinates. Fami-
lies so unfortunate as TO have husbands
ana tathers called, must get along the
best they can on meager military pay,
anu perhaps become recipients OF char
ity. The bill In directly contrary TO
s9s spirit r ana letter OF both the Deciar-
tuition; and Is club placed In the
hands OF the plutocrats OF Wali-st.. by
a deliberately false" government, for
the suppression OF the people.
These conclusions are. / think. borne
out not only by the spirit and letter OF
used in putting II through congress. 1t
| was introduced In the congress by Con-
gresham Snow senatorl Dick: OF Ohio.
| Jority OF the militia committee. Imme-
diately after the bill had been read
by the clerk. Congressman Stark. OF
the committee. asked that n second be
| ordered. Congressman Dick followed
this up with request that a second be
considered as ordered. and the speaker,
quickly responding, declared that a Sec
ond had been ordered by unanimous
J. consent and-that- the two speakers- OF
! introduce the bill. The purpose OF
| these tactics will be understood from
| the fact, that by ordering a second
| the discussion OF the bill was thereby
limited To a few minutes. thus giving
| the opposition no time to study and
amend the bill. This was outrageous.
nothing OF the contents of the bill. Be
| fore the opposition Consisting OF some
southern Democrats) had recovered
/ from their surprise. those In charge or
the bill proceeded TO monopolize both
the floor and the 40 minutes allowed
for discussion; and when the 40 min
\ Etes had expired, the farce was capped
| by a suspension OF the rules TO pass the
| bill In short order. The vote on a d.
vision called for by Congressman Clay
| nays. 1T took barely an hour to pass
| this bill. which places I'm the hands of
the president military dictatorship as
\ great as that of the czar of Russia.
In the senate Senator TIllman asked
| whether members had lost faith In the
patriotism OF our people to volunteer
4 when there is any actual need for In
| crease In the military establishment?
| An amendment was also offered aiming
| TO place a number OF privates on the
courtmartial, instead OF having all Of
! hcers. but IL was almost unanimously
/ defeated the plutocracy evidently not
wanting any common American citizens
| on the courtmartial.
| In his message to congress In 1861.
| Lincoln wrote: Monarchy is some
| times limited at as a possible refuge
/ from the power OF the people. ] bid
| the laboring people beware OF sur
rendering q, power. which they already
| possess, and which when surrendered
| will surely be used 10 close the door of
| advancement TO such they, and fix
| new disa bilities and burdens upon them
| until all OF liberty shall be lost"
Have we not through this bill sur
| rendered the very things Lincoln
| warned us against. and Is 1T not imper-
/ alive that citizens should awaken 10
| these dangers. and from this time for
ward. at least, be on guard?
JOHN q. HEAL
| $50 Antoinette-st.
| Detroit. March "a. 1908.