The chronicle=news., 1914-07-16

bama and California, the College OF
to City of New York, the Virginia
Military institute and many promin-
lent educators and public men
Throughout the land. II
The Connecticut State Board of
Education on April 22 adopted the
following resolution:
The board respectfully directs
the attention of all Connecticut high
schools. colleges and universities to
the students military instruction
camps organized and maintained by
the United States government.
Courses Are Important.
This board is impressed with the
cardinal Importance Of courses In
military training, to the end that
the young men Of the state may be
fitted to meet their patriotic duty in
time of war"
When the ccope and intent OF the
military instruction camp move
ment shall have been brought to the
attention of boards of education in
otho' states they will, without doubt.
endorse the movement In n similar
manner. The emphasis placed by the
lConnecticut board on the cardinal
| importance of the courses In mill
tary training, to the end that the
young men of the state may be fitted
to meet their patriotic duty in time
of war is an adequate reason Tor
continued discussion of this import
ant subject by patriotic citizens and
military men, in the press, and else
where on all proper occasions.
| It can not be too often recalled
that 1t was the firm intention OF the
founders Of this government to pro-
vide for a very large body OF citizen
soldiery. trained to n considerable ex-
tent for possible military duty wheE-
ever the nation should need theiT
lseryices. The liability OF all male
citizens (with few exceptions) be-
Tween the ages of Is and As to mill
Itary service is the plain provision oi
1.-THE Constitution. The first law re
Hating to militia, that of 1892. which
was merely the elaboration OF the
Unconstitutional provision. required
every citizen above mentioned 10
have and keep in his possession q
muskct and certain other essent'a
parts Of the equipment OF soidier
| Provision was made for what was
called militia day." on which occas'
ion all the citizens on "the military
rolf were required to present them
selves at designated rendezvous ioi
military instruction, and In order tc
Iascertain whether or not they were
equipped rs the la wrcquired. Afte'
| a time this law fell into "innocuons
ldesuetude." Later on certain citi-
zens voluntarily associated them
selves together in military organic.
ations, which subsequently developed
into what became known as the Ma
tional Guards of the states. TIL" in
tent of the founders of the govern
ment with reference to the military
Training of all citizens has been. Tor
| the most part. neglected ana apah-
doned. but nevertheless the constttn-
tional provision above quoted still
tremaias - the fundamental law %
the land!
laugh in Schools.
In Switzerland, Australia ana AT
gentina the. alements of military
training form part of the work ir
high schools of all the youth OF the
nation, thus fitting them all the bet
ter for their duties as citizens or
citizen soldiersA These countries
have governments quite is liberal and
democratic as ours. In imperialis-
tic Japan and European countries
generally. the idea OF the service OF
the state. including military train
ing and service, are looked upon as
honorable, necessary and beneflclai
for the manhood OF the nation. with
out regard to wealth, or so-calied
rank and station. But in the United
States, whose citizens consider them
selves as among the most democrat
ic and advanced OF the peoples OF the
earth, we are seemingly In the way
of abandoning the essentially demo-
cratic idea of the general liability of
the citizen for service of the state:
this is perhaps only partly true OF
service in purely civil capacities. but
In the matter OF service on the mill
tary side of the civic duty OF the
citizens, 1t is undoubtedly largely
true. The average American has
very full appreciation OF his rights:
but he is not apt to be so strong on
his duties to the nation: he expects
protection of his person and property
when abroad; but when 1t comes 10
military duties and military service
the too current feeling may be cor
rectly expressed by Let the other
fellow do It," THAT is no affair OF
mine" Let those go who want to
60" etc, etc. In the schools, our
youth have been taught the illumin-
ated school book version OF how we
have always won." that we clicked
the British" in two wars. whipped
the French and Indians. and also the
Noyiraus and that we are natural