The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-05
Voice Of the People
Employers nnd the Militia.

Two nave given good deal of space
10 the proposed court ma rtial ordered
by the Governor OF Virginia to try
members of certain Richmond organi-
zaions Tor failure to attend the en-
campments at Basic City and Culpcper.
rms brings very important mat tier
to head. and one which should be
settled now for all time; that is the
cuty member of military organi-
cation owes his State and employer
and also the duty which his employer
IN turn owes the militia and the COM
mnnity in which he does business.
Inc Constitution of the United States
provides that a we'll organized. prop
erly-constituted militia is necessary
for the safety and welfare OF our
country. Whether the militia of the
State of Virginia is well organized
and properly constituted at present is
duty which every good citizen par
ticularly every business man. is in
terested in. since its existence throws
Il safeguard and protection around our
homes and investments. without which
they would be constantly in serious
danger ali during the piping times OF
peace. to say nothing of the terrible
necessity which would arise were the
national defense threatened
Nearly all employers, without eX-
ception. are perfectly willing ro:. their
employees to belong to a good military
organization. They realize that the
haDits of discipline. self-control and
obedience TO orders and of personal
seit-respect. which the young man in
culcates. Will do a great deal towards
Keeping him clean mentally. morally
and physically. and thereby rendering
MIN very much more valuable cog in
his business machine than he would
otherwise be. In addition to this fact.
the employer remembers that. when
his employe asks his permission to
1oin military organization, that the
young man is exempted from Jury duty
and that he will not be liable to have
to serve. probably In the busy sea-
son in some important murder trial
which would take him from his duty
for two or three weeks. The en-
ployer remembers, when he gives his
consent that the Judge before whom
such case is usually tried is nearly
always. without exception. the master
of the situation, and the mere plead
ing OF how important j bookkeeper or
salesman may be, how busy the sea
son. has but little effect upon the
court. If &C ever occurs to the aver
age employer that in lieu Of jury
duty. and in consideration OF the fact
that the young man has been improved
morally and physically. when he Is
ordered TO attend once a year (and
frequently il is not that often) an
encampment for ten days. usually TAX
ing his summer vacation al that time
the employer rarely ever considers it.
lie is willing enough to be benefited
by the militia. but the shoe pinches
when the small mite he is called upon
to pay is due.
Recognizing the necessity for well
organized militia. following out the
r.a1sA
the PostOfice Department and every
department OF the government has is
sued orders that members OF the mill
tia in their employ should attend to
their military duties at all times.
And t is never the case that a
militia man. who works for the United
States government. in any of its de-
partments, is refused leave to attend
TO his military duties: in fact he Is
required by his chief to do so. 1t is
never the chief of a department and
rarely ever the head of big enter
prise, railway company or financial in
stitution. who refuses the militiaman
leave. The policy of such depart
ments or concerns is liberal one. and
the chief has the general good OF the
communiS at heart: but 1t is more
frequently the manager OF depart
ment. the chief clerk or some sub
sonal selhshness. is unwilling in order
to further the general policy OF the
concern by mountaineering himself.
hence il is confidentially intimated to
Private a. that he cannot get away.
and that II he insists upon going it is
limited that his position will be vacat-
ed. In the event that Private a. does
so. knowing that he has the permits
sion OF his employer the department
n nj p, or nd .; a.,
out that he has not been doing his
work properly-does not brush his
hair to suit him, and Private a. loses
his position.
Now this is not supposition. this is
what has been. and is being done. not
only all over Virginia. but all over
the country as Well. 1t is SO easy for
manager to find fault If he tries to
do so, and it is almost impossible to
saddle him with the real reason the
soldier is discharged for OF course,
every one will admit that there are a
great many young men who are ex-
tremely inconsiderate OF their en-
ployer's interest, who when they have
time to give ample notice that they
wish to leave for camp. do not do so,
and there are a great many who are
only too willing for any excuse to get
away from the shop or office so long
are in the minority and are really not
worth employing at all. If this course
is pursued.
Take the case of the young man.
who, with his employers consent. joins
the militia. and when ordered for
duty is refused permission to go. This
young man, with his employers per-
mission. had, when he enlisted. been
formally sworn into the service of the
State of Virginia. and had obligated
himself by an oath as binding as any
which might be administered by the
Supreme Court OF the United States
to obey implicitly and promptly all
lawful orders of his superior officers;
when forced by his employer to fail to
report for duty. he is also forced by
him to commit perjury This en-
ployer would not lend himself, under
any other circumstances, to the break
ing of an oath. by any ono whom he
a m ig,