The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-04

most readily DO their work. Time, then,
devoted to military training, v in
public schoofs will add to. rather thar
detract from. the effectiveness Of the
strictly scholastic training there given.
The second objection to military train
ing In our schools has been expressed
recently by a college president. He Is
AFRAID that military training given at
this impressionabie age in a boys life
would develop In him low OF wal that
would end In establishing militarism as
a governing force In this country. I he
ieve that this fear Ia the legitimate or
spring OF ignorance. and that Il Il enter
tanned chiefly by those who have had no
actual experience with military training
Eiven In schools for boys. In my twenty
nve years experience In military schools
] have not seen one indication that this
military training has tended toward
u results. On the contrary, boys who
are militarily trained In school, while
they learn clearly the effectiveness, value
and desirability OF military training,
learn also that military system II ex-
acting In It's demands, that IL Is hut a
means to an end, not an end IN itself,
thai war Ii an abnormal condition
where he hardships and dangers fall
hrst upon those trained for service and
Is. therefore. something to be most
s~trenuously guarded against in short,
that the military training itself In to he
used solely as q safeguard against war.
Here. too. the experience OF Swltyer-
land In against this objection. To quote
Hudson Maxim again Switzerland 10
n typical democracy, and yet no coun-
Try In the world has a more universal
ana en'cient system of military training
for Its youth and young men.
ssThA Guf~n haNn pn& t1,a ..,.tas lAx.
or making an aggressive move on any
neighborins country. but they hold
themselves In perfect readipess TO see to
u tlAt no other nation can find II profit
able to make an aggressive move on
Switzerland,
Switzerland makes her military rain
Ing part OF her school system. The
chubby, rosy checked little Swiss boys
are taught to play soldier with wooden
initiation guns. and as they grow, the
training later becomes more comprehen-
sive. more exacting. more scientific.
until. finally. the young men fnd real
guns In their hands. find themselves
commanded by. m receiving instruc-
lions from. real officers, and they are
taught to shoot. When their school
training IL over. their military training
and term OF military service also are
yer They are ready for civil life. but,
WV thty dio itNuy ut dHN HlofltHt IDT
the call OF their country from civil life
to shoulder rifle and knapsack and go
to the 'front.'
Again our citizen soldiers should be
trained at such a time and in such a
way as to cause as little hardship and
~unhappinees as possible. In the schools
this training car be given with real
pleasure to the boys and young men
thus trained. Boys like military drill
AaI a-A kAV N-.-
II with spirit n enthusiasm As one
author says: 1T places no burden upon
the schoolboy or the young man on
the contrary. II II a source of keen
enjoyment, like any other manly game"
So, without conscious effort and with
accompanying pleasure, tho boy has
become . trained soldier. and tho rest
IL only organization and al occasional
report for duty with the colors. The
result 10 an army and an amply pro-
tected countr-.
In reality there u no danger that
militarism will develop in this country.
N 10 only where there Ia . vast. perma-
nent and closely knit military body,
established hear and overshadowlng the
civil government, that there Is danger
that mil!tarism may become a menace
to q country. II one will take the time
to study conditions here. he will readily
understand that American life furnishes
mighty poor soil for the development OF
militarfsm. and that a citizen army
trained in the schools. as Ia the Swiss
army. IL one of the strongest safe
guards against the growth OF militar-
ism, at the same time providing COM
plete protection against foreign agrees
sion.
1t may be thought that, BECAUSE OF
the interdependence OF State and ma
tionai governments In this country. II
would be impossible to introduce the
Swiss system of military training and
organization. However. the Swiss Gov
rnmen is much like our W with fed
eral and cantonal governments similar
to our national and state governments,
II this system can be made TO work
without friction In Switzerland, II can
be made 20 work hero. OF course the
national government here. an IN
Switzerland, would supply military In
structors to the schools, thus giving oc-
cupation to tho large force OF oficers
necessary for oficerins the resulting
great army of defence.
In this article I have said nothing OF
the value of military training In our
schools as a means OF developing the
youth OF our country into we'll rounded
mon, eauipped for the life OF useful
ness that should lie before them. The
limits Of the article forbid tho discus
sion Of this phase Of the subject. How
ever. many OF US who have had ex-
perience in military schools thoroughly
believe that this kind OF training Is
best adapted 20 equip boys for Citizen
ship in this free and democratic coun
try, and we hope for the of
the system for this reason. as well as
that our country may be adequately
protected by q military force thus
easily. practically and economically
trained.