Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-05

standpoint their retention is a mistake.
Let us take concrete example A man
enters the army, say, at twenty-four
years of age. After ten years he begins
to deteriorate in value a fighting unit
At least it has been demonstrated that
athletes begin to deteriorate befQre
thirty-four.
But at thirty-four we are paying the
man considerably more than we We're
paying him when he was twenty-four.
He remains twenty years in the service
after that, drawing increases of pay
periodically for length of service up. to
eighteen years and finally retires at
fifty -four-provided he has gained the
maximum non-commssioned rank-a pos
sible retired pay of $3.50 a month Cor
the remainder OF his life; in any case
retired pay of $50 or more. And he proba-
bly, has twenty years of life remaining.
AS a military asset he is useless, being
too old But we go on paying him month
by month the pay of from two to four
young and active men in their first en-
lstment.
short enlistment and a paid reserve would
prove unduly expensive. l think that
it can be demonstrated that, on the con-
tfary, il would be a measure of economy.
1T does. not take a number Of years
TO train a man in the principles of mill
tary service. In Europe. after a man
is considered fit for service. he is dis
charged.
x X
THE training, if effective though short,
is a civil as we'll as military advantage.
Military discipline does make better citi-
zens. 1t is Sfact not to be disputed,
Such discipline teaches men to respect
law and order and constituted authority,
and also it teaches them to respect them
selves The homicide rate in European
countries where military training pre-
walls is remarkably less than ours. Our
people certainly are as good as theirs,
but for lack of discipline ours have less
respect and regard for the rules of Or
ganized society.
ITO train an educated man, one ac-
customed to having his body obey his
mind, requires a much shorter period
than to train an uneducated one. This
is recognized in European countries
where all able sound men serve. and the
man from an institution Of higher learn
ing is required to serve only year, IN
stead of the two or more years required
of the lesser educated.
obviously it will take longer to teach
what we might call the mechanics of
soldering to the man with pick, who
has to pause for a second to think when
you speak to him, than to teach them to
a ball player. whose mind has been train
respond instantly to mental impulses.
But two years, we think, is ample to
teach the essentials We advocate a
three-year enlistment. with a provision
that the man who Is certified by his COM
pany commander as competent in a les
ser time may take his discharge forth
with and pass to the reserves. We be-
lieve It will attract the most desirable
class OF men to the army, men who
want to prepare themselves to be of
fn in time n
but who cannot spare the time for a
long enlistment
1.-The reservist should be assured that
he Is to be absolutely free in his move
keeping in touch with his command by
reports, during his period on the reserve
list-five years-with the exception that
he is to return to duty with his unit in
time of war, and that he is to report
once In two years for physical examina-
ton and for not less than five nor more
than ten days training in the field.
-
AT the expiration of his five-year
period on the reserve list he goes off the
list in favor of younger men who have
come in by discharge from the army. He
is still a military resource, and will be
one for several years, but it is optional
with him whether or not he will present
himself for service in time of the coun-
try's need.
Personally, I think the reservist
should be paid, possibly at the rate OF
$50 a year Payment TO him. with short
enlistment and resulting short retired pay
roll, would be a distinct saving in the
long run to the government.
Zach reservist should be listed in the
nearest proper military unit, that unit
changing as the man moves from place
to place in the country. There should be
kept in stock at the depot of this unit
fun >equipment for the reservist. even to
uniform of his size. He should possess
an Identification card, which, when the
call for his services comes, should serve
an q government order for his transpor-
tation on any transportation line to the