South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-04-06
NEED OF \ DRILLED CITIZEN
SOLDERY.

SOLDIERN.
Need OF a drilled citizen soldiery a
recommended by Pres't Woodrow Wi
son in his last message to congress
and as provided for by the NORM bill
likely % be revived at the next session
IL having enthusiastic attention in tn
April number Of the Eagle Magazine
published in this city. OF which Fran
+. Herring IS managing editor Tn
subject appears 10 have been a matte
Of considerable interest with tn
Eagles as long as five years ago. Tn
measure is favored with a deal o
logic and members everywhere ar
urged to encourage its passage.
While re cannot exactly accord wit
some or the evidences Of pessimisr
that creep in between the reason
given why a citizen soldiery should b
maintained, still we might do wors
than be cautious. Our citizen soldier
has ever been patriotic and brav
enough. but in the early stages of thei
fighting, due TO lack of training the
have always fought at a disadvantage
which is the thing sought 10 be over
come. The magazine says:
The history Of our own nation
confirms the lesson of the old
world-that personal patriotism
and individual courage are not
sufficient to provide an effective
opposition to trained troops. We
have gilded our early history with
the halo of sturdy "embattled
farmers" alert minute men, and
ragged COntinentals;" but the
sober fact is that. although all
OF these men were familiar with
the perils OF frontier life and were
practiced in the use OF firearms,
except on one occasiOn-the de-
Tending of the trenches at Bunker
Hill-the raw militia ran away at
the onset of the British regulars.
The "embatteled farmers stood
but a very short time at Concord
bridge, and the minute men dis
tinguished themselves chiefly by
"sniping" the British soldiers
from behind trees or stone walls.
They ran away from the battle on
Long Island, fought at Harlem
only when protected by rocks and
trees, and showed actual coward
ice at White Plains. 1t was not
until Baron Steuben had drilled
them in Prussian tactics that the
"Continentals'' could be brought
10 face the British lines. After
they had been trained they made
courageous. dependable soldiers.
II was the same story in the
War Of 1912, along the Canadian
border and in the defense OF the
capital of the nation. The only
victories of Americans were those
won in fighting the Indian allies
Dv-ff uf IN IN
and in shooting from behind cot
ton bales at New Orleans. Half
the blOOdshed Of the civil war was
due to lack Of discipline on both
sides in the early stages Of the
conflict. Most of the deaths in
the Cuban war were from diseases
in camp resulting from careless
ness and the ignorance Of sanitary
science on the part OF unframed
volunteers. In the only serious
fighting in Cuba in which the vol
unteers where engaged-the bat
tie Of FL Caney and that Of San
Juan hill-the militia, excepting
the rough riders. did not show the
real fighting spirit that was IN
them. However after thor
ough drilling these same soldiers
fought bravely and effectively in
the Philippines. This experience
goes TO prove that the failure OF
the men in the first encounter was
not due to lack of bravery or pa
triotism. but TO want OF the
group courage that comes with
military discipline.
The NORM bill is purely a defensive
measure, according 10 the Eagle. ant
II IL becomes a law. will operate II
general as follows:
In any city or town where 800
mem bers Of several fraternal or
ganiZations volunteer for detens-
i've military service. the federal
government will furnish an Off
Ger TO drill them.
In all American fraternities
there is n class Of men in the
prime Of life. filled with patriotic
ardor. and with the warm blood
of youth. taking delight in semi
military drills and maneuVerS.
These men. under proper training,
would furnish an emergency re-
serve from which. on call 10 the
national defense, would spring
force OF at least 100000 which
would REQUIRE but slight supple
rnentarv training TO make them
a citizen sOldiery accustomed 10
arms force which would make
any intending aggressOr pause
This fraternity militia would
not displace the state militia or
the National guard. IL would
simply be trained material from
which volunteers could be prompt
IL drawn 10 raise a mighty army
ready for immediate action in the
Country's defense.
The idea OF the trainers OF the
Norm bill Is that these men
would not be used in labor trou-
bles or in offensive warfare. but
only in case the republic should
be invaded and IL was manifest
that the United States was not the
aggressOr. An understanding of
this intent Is very important.
on such basis. that the bill should
meet with public favor. and that the
Eagle Is doing good work in advancing
the agitation. goes without saying. In
view OF the contemplated army OF az
least semi-trained soldiers IL would
furnish. assuming that the fraternal
organizations would measure up 10 an
ticipations. its value in case Of an in
vastion would be inestimable.
urEFF-