The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-11-24
To Train Men For Servic
For Country.
MILITARY TRA|N|NG BEG|NNlUG
In Schools Would Be Great
Incentive and OF Last.
ing Benefit.
SHOULD BEGIN WITH THE BOYS

learning at Plattsburg should be
taught every school boy as a part OF
his education. This is not militia
ry nation, and never will be, but II
should be nation of strong, able
bodied men, who are qualified il the
need arise to fight for their country.
That 1t is nothing of the kind is
shown in the hardships which must
be endured at Plattsburg before the
volunteers now toiling there are fit
even for the ordinary duties Of camp
life.
How grave would be the difficulty
in recruiting an army is we'll known
by every physical director in every
college, athletic club and Boy Scouts
camp in America.
DIR. Lucien Howe. of the UNIVERSE
ty of Buffalo, points out that in
1912, of the total number of appli-
cants for enlistment in the army, So
per cent were rejected because of
failure to come up to the stand
ards.
In an examination of the students
of the University of Pennsylvania
only 81 men out of 1 1856 were found
to be in perfect physical condition.
College men, because of their
youth, are unusually fit. Go through
the shops, the Offices, the railroad
yards, wherever are men who must
in time of need serve as our defend
ers, and you will find round shout
ders. crooked spines, weak eyes and
bad hearts. as well. as many other
ailments which would render men
useless for the field.
American spirit and courage can
be counted on, but spirit and cour-
age are useless without strength and
endurance.
The time to begin to train Ameri-
can citizens. not only for the de-
Tense of their country. but for useful
service to it in time of peace. is in
early youth.
Military training should begin in
the schools. Even We're the dreams
of Mr.. Bryan and President Butler
and the rest of the pacificists found
ed on any sort of human experience,
such training would be of the great
est benefit
1t would straighten spines. devel-
op chests and lungs, increase endur-
ance, eradicate many forms of dis
ease and teach habits of hygiene that
would make real live men of the cit
liens of this country That such
training may be adequately given. it
is necessary that the number of reg
ular army officers be largely increas-
ed
Twenty officers at Plattsburg are
drilling 1000 recruits. There should
be enough officers to drill 100000
recruits at this time. Moreover, be-
ginning not in the dim, misty flu
ture. but this fall. officers should be
assigned to as many schools as pos
sible--National Guard officers where
regular officers are nc. available, |
paid by the Government, and given
Government training to help them
in their work.
Until we begin with the boys OF
the country we can never hope to
put this country on such al footing |
that peace will be absolutely insured. |
Just now We can do little in train
ing camps--a very little. Next year
We can do better 1t is within the
power of Congress at the next ses-
sion to provide the material for a
citizen army that will make this
country invincible to attack
Europe has furnished a glazing
lesson of unpreparedness and it's aw-
full consequences. II that lesson
does not sink in now, this country
can expect no higher place in the
future history of the world than that
occupied by China before her awak-
ening. -tNew York American