The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1913-11-20

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that every male japanese is
taught to carry arms and that
his highest duty is to die for his
emperor? On her first expedition
she can transport 100000 men
and land them on our Pacific
coast in Is days. Germany can
mobilize q trained army of H.
100000 men in five days and send
100000 OF them across the water
in another five days.
Against those forces We have
our navy and approximately 49,
900 men in the'S United States
army of which there are $4,000
stationed in the PHILIPPINES, g.
900 in Alaska, Panama and other
countries and 10000 occupy set
posts in the coast defense. This
leaves $4,000 foot free to mobi-
lie at any point to head off an
invasion. Do you know that our
war department states that we
cannot put 100000 men in the
field in less than a year; that it
would take at least one year to
equip an army of that size with
the necessary arms, ammunition,
transport wagons and general
field equipment, and that it would
take at least five years to so
equip and place in the field an
army of 100000 men? To sup
plement our small standing army
then we have approximately 12O-
900 members Of the National
Guard. Many people argue that
preparation for war only breeds
a desire to fight. Let us see
on the goth day of the Balko-
Turko war, when it threatened to
engulf the whole of Europe, it
became known that England's
vast navy was modified and
ready to put to sea for war.
What was the result? 1mmed-
liately the trouble breeds in Wen
ma altered their tune and the
spirit of war that was growing
over Europe sank away. Eng
land, by being prepared for war
and desiring peace, secured it
without firing a shot. Germany's
army played the same role on
land. This will serve to partly
illustrate the need of an efficient
National Guard.
NOW what benefit does a young
man derive from membership in
this Organization aside from the
satisfaction that he is doing his
patriotic duty The benefits are
many, and include all of the es-
sential attributes of a successful
man in any pursuit. The train
ing in the Guard tends to develop
accuracy, the value Of personal
appearance, assertiveness, discip-
line, energy, executive ability,
foresight, grit, honesty, initia-
tive, memory, morality, persis-
tence, promptness, reliance, re-
source, tact and temperance.
But il is not all work and no
play for I speak from experience
when I say that a man looks back
upon the time spent at the an
nual encampments as being a.
mong the most enjoyable of his
lifts.
T. NOW coming back TO our own
individual case wish to call the
attention Of the young men who
ought TO be members Of the local
organization to the fact that we
have in Wahpeton one Of the fin
est armories in the state of North
Dakota; that the company has
provided club rooms where the
members of the company can,
without expense, come every eve
ming if they so desire and spend
the time in almost any way they
see fit. The company has also
provided athletic. equipment. OF
every conceivable nature, includ-
ing trapeze, rings, boxing gloves,
La wrestling mat. basket ball,
medicines ball and the now ex-
tremely popular indoor base
ball. All that is necessary to a
vail yourselves of these privileges
is to join the company-which of
itself makes you a member of the
armory, club-and attend a short
drill once q week.
1.-THE only restrictions placed
upon the conduct of the young
man in the club rooms are against
the use Of intoxicating liquor and
}gambling. It seems to me that
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