The Washington herald., 1914-12-26
ADVOCATE
WANTSBIG Army
Representative Barth oldt
Points Out Need Of Army
Reserve.
"HUMAN CONSERVATION"
Says Plan Would Make Better Citi-
zens and Safeguard Coun-
try. Too:
''HUMAN CONSERVATION"

Recommendation for the creation OF a
reserve for the regular army are indorsed
by Representative Richard Barthotdt, OF
Missouri. DR.. Barth0idt for years has
taken a prominent part in the interna-
! tional peace movement. We has acted az
American delegate to the interparlia-
mentary conference, and n president OF
the arbitration group in Congress.
Dr. BNtholdt styles the system OF
military, training and education proposed
by the Secretary OF War as human con-
servation. He expresses the opinion that
while the government Is conserving
rivers, harbors, waterpower and forests
it should not neglect the American youth.
He argues that military training would
increase the efficiency of the young men
Of the country in Industrial pursuits He
Is opposed to professional soldiers. and
thinks the regular army should be used
as an educational institution to train
young men for peace as well as for war.
Military Education Asset.
THE recommendations Of the Secretary
of War are along the right lines" said
DR.. Bartholdt. Although a man Of
peace. / am a believer in a certain
amount OF military education and phys
ical training. Such training conducted
along scientific lines Is human conserva-
49,
serving our rivers and harbors. our
waterpower and forests, We should not
neglect American manhood. Short and
intensified training will make real men
of the American youth. Nothing would
do more to increase the efficiency OF
our young men and their ability to make
a success in any walk OF life more than
physical training.
1T would be a good investment for
the country il every youth could be
given a years military training after
he came out of school The commercial
and industrial progress OF Germany dur
ing the past thirty or forty years is due
more to the military training of its
young men than any other one thing.
1 am convinced that the efficiency Of
Germans in every line is based, to a
ceive in the army.
Opposed to Professionals.
81 am opposed to a standing army
composed of professional soldiers. Such
an army is contrary to the spirit Of
American institutions. Secretary GarTl-
son is right in asking for more officers
with which to train the enlisted men.
The only professional soldiers in the
army should be the officers, who are
in reality teachers Of military discipline
and science. The balance OF the army,
with possibly the exception Of the non
commissioned officers. should be young
men who stay in the army just long
enough to receive the benefits Of q mill
tary education Fr
Secretary Garrison says this can be
accomplished in a year or even less time.
II this is true, the enlistment period
should be reduced to one year, and en-
listed men should not be permitted to re-
enlist. Our regular army should consist,
aside from the officers, OF young men who
are receiving a military education. 1t
should not be necessary to reduce the
time a boy stays in school in order to
give him the benefit Of the education ne
would receive under the highly educated
and trained officers Of the regular army
Would Make Good Citizens.
such a policy not only would give the
country an army of millions of trained
men, which ! sincerely hope We never
will have an occasion to use in war, but
would do much to produce the best type
OF citizen. We should so shape our midi
tary policy to create an army OF the peo-
pie and not OF professional soldiers. Our
amy could be used at one time as an
educational institution and as a means
of preparing a large number Of trained
men for service. should We ever be forced
to go to war;