The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-05-06


fight and die for her if necessary?
And we should be equally willing to
serve this, our country-to protect her
against all her enemies, and to uphold
her honor. We need not alone the
patriotism that rushes to enlist when
war is upon us, but, as l think, that
nobler, higher patriotism which makes
us undergo the long grind of training
and preparing ourselves to be of serv-
ice should the occasion require it
the patriotism which bears the sneers
and asinine Righteousness of some
whose ignorance causes them to insult
and belittle the guard, under the i'm
preston that. they are extremely
smart and funny. These people are in
the category of those who, in case of
trouble, stand on the sidewalk and, as
the troops pass by, shout, give them
hell for me-. Words are cheap-1t
takes man to make the sacrifice.
"The benefit to be derived from
military training include good health,
promptness, obedience, submission to
constituted authority otherwise disci-
pline), cleanliness, self denial and
many others.
"Discipline is the most necessary Of
the soldiers virtues. Without it, no
matter how we'll company can drill
and shoot, it is almost a mob. If a
commander cannot know that his SOL
diers will do just what they are told,
will absolutely obey orders, how is he
to make plans for battle or have any
chance of their being carried out ?
Some young men seem to think that
if they promptly obey legitimate or
der they are surrenderins some of
their American independence. They
are not doing anything of the kind.
If your employer in civil life tells you
to do something, you do it and don't
feel that your independence is inter
fered with. In case of military dis
cipline, your country, as represented
by your commander, tells you to do a
certain thing you should obey prompt
ly even, if necessary, at the sacrifice
Of life itself. BY so doing not only
do you lose independence, but show
the highest type of citizenship, and
that you are fit to serve your country
as a soldier
I'm my humble judgment, it is a
duty which every able bodied man
owes his country-to be ready, willing,
trained and prepared to serve her in
case of need. In a country such us
ours, l do not advocate compulsory
service in the regular army. l do be-
lieve, however, that every able bodied
man should serve at least one term
in the national guard and then pass
to reserve for a specified term OF
years, a nominal sum per annum be-
ing paid to such men to hold them
l also think men in the militia should
be paid for the time put in at drills
particularly company commanders
and enlisted men and l believe in time
something of this kind will be done
But, in the meantime, we should be
getting ready to serve our country il
necessary. At the present time we
have some 100000 trained and par
TALLY trained men-and what kind Of
showing would it be possible for us t
make against any of those great world
powers which count their men by the
millions, instead of thousands? Mos
civilians tell you we can whip the
world in arms and can get any guam
tity of men, who can S boot Under
present conditions we cannot while
the world or even a part of it is IL
arms, and shooting, though most nee
essary, is not all that is required FOL
the making of a soldier by very lont
ways. And if we wait to raise re
liable, efficient fighting force until thu
enemy is on our shores, or even unit
war is declared, we might be so dis
couraged by a strong and aggressive
enemy before we were ready to begin
that we should have to accept an!
terms the foe chose to offer. It is NJ
use to lock the stable when the hors'
is gone. The time to prepare is now
and while you and I may never SCI
this country engaged in another war
we may use such military knowledge
as we have in instructing others, VIII
may be future leaders of troops, and
in this we are doing our duty to OH
country, in spite of all the pacifcist'
say. l believe General Wood is RICH
when he says that as long as ther'
are men, there will be wars, and so i
seems to me that young men should
identify themselves with the guar(
and determine to serve to the yer!
best of their ability and to render
themselves capable of defending her
| NV nrena ring in time IF neace tn serve