The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-03-09

admitted that in country like this |
where ages of tradition have develop
ed a general antipathy to compulsory
soldering, and where such change
as is now proposed could only bel
brought about by a government with |
the consent of parliament, such sy- |
tenn could not be enforced unless /, |
was approved by the Overwhelming
opinion of the nation.
Professional soldering has never
been popular with the British work
man. In spite of the alluring induce
ments for young men to join the army,
1t is fact that the majority of those
who do join are neither attracted by
those allurements nor impelled by
patriotic motives to serve their coun.
try They join because they find it
hard to secure industrial employment
which is permanent and tolerable.
Often they are simply driven to enlist
as an only means of livelihood. The
failure Of the old volunteer system
and of the present territorial system
proves that our workmen are without
the military instincts which would
make compulsory service practicable,
even if 1t were acceptable.
Then, there is not the fear of in
yasion i'll this country which is ever
present in the minds of those living
in CorHinental lands. No invasion of
England has been successful for near
there is any real danger of invasion
or not, this long immunity has given
a sense of security which makes it
extremely difficult for the panic-mon-
gers to shake. The working men can
not see the necessity of unitersal
training for merely defensive pur-
poses, and they suspect, and probably
with good reason, that the demand
for national service is nothing but the
beginning of system which would
turn this country into huge military
barracks like those of continental
countries.
! The advocates of national service
contend that national defense is
duty which is incumbent upon all citi-
zens of military age and sound ply
sique. The logic of that contention
would be unanswerable If certain CON
ditions were first guaranteed Nation
lal defense implies that there must be
something to defend would not sug-
lsgest that even the poorest among us
has nothing which he values to defend.
hf1f 81 stn fnH
which influences the great body OF
working men against this scheme is
the conviction that they have no
stake at present in the national well
! fare which is really worth defending.
i There is a duty primary to that of
universal service for national defense,
! and that duty is to make the citizens
! of the nation co-partners In the ma
| tional Inheritance and resources. I'm
! til that is done, until those who are
now appealing to the patriotism of the
workers, to equip themselves to de-
fend the country show more of that
higher patriotism which consists in
4 throwing open to all citizens the
means of healthy and cultured life
and fair share in national wealth
! and progress, the appeal will fall
/ largely on deaf ears and unsympa-
thetic hearts.
Experience in this and other coun-
Itries has been a warning to the work
4 ers against military service. The
army is looked upon as force ready
! IN bo ,,fi1i1od IN oyarawa and ct,hduo
i the working classes. The action of
the government in the railway strike
i of last year would alone make uni
versal military training impossible In
4 this country, so long as it is remem'
bered
There is further reason which in
h fluences many working men in this
connection. They recognize in the
s existence of armistice tlp main
hindrance to the coming together OF
the nations of the world in closer
friendship Therefore, in their opin
ion, their aim should be toward the
ldiscouragement of militarism in all its
forms.
Il you may depend upon it that any
| political party in England which would
openly put compulsory military train
ing service in its program would sui
| fer an electoral extinction without par
allel.'
| ASIA THE BAIT FOR
L |