The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-10-14

Ipeeche8 explaining our need OF ma |
defense. also has been OF grea,
educational value. He pointed out |
Congress cannot he expected 10
act along the lines desired unless
there IS a public sentiment behind the |
representatives: In other words, that
Tue representatives cannot represent
the views OF their constituents unless
those constituents have some views
of their own.
Il think all this is going TO be
helpful. 1t IS distinctly encouraging
to the general stan and to the army
generally in the efforts being made TO
natfon n a coherent plan of pre-
pairing for whatever the future may
have in store for US.
speaking roughly. the facts which
confront US are these: In a war with
any nrst-claSS power it would be
necessary FOR us to put into the field
at>the least about SOC. 00O men. To
be an asset rather than a liability.
tney must be men OF some military
training. they u be equipped. they
must be i~ntelligently led.
The reSuiar army in his country
WILL not consist Of more than 90 900,
one-third Of whom are coast artillery
and limited in their operations to
their fixed posts. The militia could
furnish not more than $4,000 fairly
we'll instructed troops. Even when.
by recruiting, we raised oNr regular
army units to war strength, and also
called in the militia, we would have
a shortage of about $50 900 men and
not less than Is, Oo0 officers. Where
are We to get those men and officers
From the volunteers, is the obvi-
GUS answer But unframed and raw
volunteers are not Of actual, only OF
potential, military value.
These are the reasons that nave
led US to advocate short enlistment
in the army and militia, the building
up OF reserves for both. and the eX-
tension Of military education in the
country.
W are distinctly opposed to the
creation of a professional soldier elias.
in the country. We do not wan
men to enter the army to remain 70
secure retirement Both from q mill
tary and an economic standpoint thei
retention is q mistake. Let us take
concrete example. A man enters tn
army, say, at t~wenty-fOUr years o
age After ten years he begins to de
~teriorate in value as a. fighting unit
At least it has been demonstrated tha
| athletes begin to deteriorate befor
thirty-four.
But at thirty -four We are payin
the man considerably more than "
. were paying him when he was twenty
: four. He remains twenty years in I'd
service after that, drawing increase
: of pay periodically for length Of Sci
vice up to eighteen years, and final
I retires at fifty-four-provided he h;
{ gained the maximum nOn-commt
e stoned rank-a possible retired ps
of $3.50 q month for the remand
Of his life; in any case a retired Pc
[ of $50 OF more. And he probab
e has twenty e Of life remainin
q As a military asset he is useless, beir
: too old. But we go on paying hi
month by month the pay Of from tv
y to four young active men in the
n first enlistment
And still we are told that q syste
OF short enlistment and a paid reser
's would prove unduly expensive.
e think that it can be. demonstrate
% that, on the contrary, it would be
"a measure of economy.
IS 1T does not tax a number Of yea
e, to train a man in the principles
st military service. In Europe, after
lie man is considered fit for service,
c, is discharged.
l. Making Better System.
e. THE training, if effective, thou
short. is a civil as we'll a. a militia
ie advantage. Military discipline dc
make better citizens. It is a fl
lis not to be disputed. Such disciple
lie teaches men to respect law and orc
a and constituted authority, and also
is teaches them to respect Intensely
The homicide rate in European cou
er tries where military training preva
thu is remarkably less than ours. Q
in people certainly are as good as thei
r. but for lack OF discipline ours ha
its less respect and regard for the ru
lis of organized society.
Ii "To train nan educate man. c
re accustomed to having his body OF
his mind. requires. a much shOr
SIS. period than to train an uneduca1
me. This is recognized in Europe
countries where all able, sound II
tie serve, and the man from an inStitut
rs OF higher learning is required TO Sc
he only a year, instead of the two
en- more years required OF the lesser e'
lie Gated.
OH; obviously it viii take longer
aat teach what We might call the I
re- ichanicS of soldering To the MAI v
IA q pick, who has to pause for a secs