The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-11-04
MILITARISM COULD
NOT COME TO AMERICA

/ those VINO oppose reasonable
amount Of preparation for national
defence in this country, on the ground
that such preparation would unchain
the curses that accompany militarism
! in Europe, surely overlook certain
very essential elements Of the situa-
ton. In Europe, the men enrolled as
soldiers always approximate the en-
tire mass of the able bodied male pop
ulation. 1t is undoubtedly true that
universal military service is harmful
thing in many ways to the country
which maintains it. But there is no
European country, unless it be Russia,
where the conditions are at all like
those which prevail in this country.
In every one of those countries the en-
tire male population must be more or
less affected by the obligation of mill
tary service. A small number, chiefly
members Of learned professions, are
specifically exempted by law, but those
are the only men whose plans and
activities in life are unaffected by the
necessity of rendering military SER
vice. AT the same time, enormous
numbers of men under arms, even in
time of peace, constantly press upon
the civilian population in one way or
another, introducing various forms of
waste and decentralization; while by
their very numbers, which are always
made to match as nearly as possible
the forces of some rival country, they
create never-ceasing danger of hos
tile clashes.
All this constitutes the undeniable
menace of militarism. But how much
of this should we have in this country
if, for instance, the defence rlan lately
put forth at Washington were intro
duced? We have population of 100,-
100000, out of which it is proposed to
raise a regular military force of 140,-
600 men. The difference between the
relation Of this proposed force to the
civil population and that of the pres
ent regular army of $4,000 men would
be imperceptible Then it is proposed
to raise a national army of so-caled
continental troops, who would be
merely national trained militia. For
ten months of the year these 100000
men would be civilians, but during two
months we should have under arms a
total force of $4,000 men in the en-
tire country, or one man. to every 1876
of the whole population. To this
number might be added the State
militia, in about the present number;
but as the militaristic effect of the
militia is undiscoverable now, it would
be imperceptible under the conditions
as proposed. The added number of
reserves required to make up a nation
al defensive force of a million men
would normally be part Of the civil
population.
The fact is that our population is so
vast, our industries are so active and
ceaseless, and our civil life so COM
mands and absorbs all thought and all
occupation, that the comparative
handful of trained men which the eff
fective defence Of the country would
require would be an insignificant
minority, and would never change the
current Of our life in the slightest de-
gree.
We may contrast the situation, even
under the maximum requirement here
in the matter of men, with the pres
ent conditions even in England, where
100000 men are either under arms
or are registered for early service.
This is one out Of every ten of the
population of the United Kingdom.
To maintain and train this force, it is
necessary TO billet or board out vast
number Of men on the civil population
at an expenditure which represents
unheard-of wealth 10 many Of the re-
cipients Of the money expended. The
fathers, mothers, sons Of the women
of the country are in great part alb
sent either at the front or in the war
industries, and their places are taken,
under the billet system, by other men
who have no responsibility toward
them. There is thus a great unsettl-
ing Of social conditions and much |
social detriment Nothing Of this sort |
would be either necessary or possible |
in this country even in state Of war.
Boston Transcript.