The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-20
MAKE THE ARMY DEMO.
CRATIC.
In No Other Way Can the Country
Re Prepared for War.

To THE EDITOR or THE SuN--Sir: Can
America be prepared for war without
turning the country into an armed camp?
Yes. Ry making the army democratic
II Is conceded that the chief war need
of modern nations II trained officers.
Next to This need. and hardly second to
II. Is the necessity for n considerable
body OF trained private soldiers around
which as n nucleus an effective body OF
volunteers could be built up promptly.
The predomlnance Of these two needs
over the ancient qualifications OF SOL
diers. courage and endurance, arises
from two interdependent causes: tho
highly complex specialization of mod
ern life. which makes II quite impossible
for tho private citizen to interes. him
self in the affairs of arms. and, spring.
inR from this same specialization, the
highly technical character OF modern
arms and methods of warfare
Jefferson was bold enough TO advise
President Monroe to establish an army
of 100000 men And surely Jefferson
Of all men believed In the greatest lib
crty for each and all. Such an army
would have meant. according to the
population of 1920 one soldier for every
thirty-three OF population. on that basis
we should have an army OF 1000. 900
100000 would be an excessive peace
footing At the same time II is entirely
practicable for us 10 have a trained off,
Ger and soldier staff of one man for
every twenty Of male population.
The democracy could never have been
established and maintained without war
and an army. At the same time II IL
historical fact that standing armies
are a menace 10 liberty. Az they were
used by the Older olgarchiee and aris-
tocracies to overawe the people. go, too,
MS We have had ample proof. armed
forces are dangerous weapons In the
hands of modern plutocracy. The peo-
pie can protect themselves. and the
trained forces may he as large as you
please II the army is made thoroughly
democratic. In tho army and navy. as
everywhere else. we must r-aintain the
reality of our fundamental ideal that all
men are born free and equal. Intending
difference and wide variability. but
within and under all essential equality
The first thing to do Is to open wide
the gates of West Point and Annapolis
to every American youth who cares 10
enter these institutions. Let the Amer
lean boy be as free TO go 20 the military
and naval academy as he In now free
to enlist. As he Is free to 90 20
any college in the country and TO
pick for himself whatever vocation he
chooses. SO he should be equally free
10 NJ himself as an officer IN his coun-
try's army
Recent regulations Of the navy permit
a certain number OF men from the ranks.
about twenty. 10 he promoted and sent
10 Annapolis. Such opportunities should
be opened 70 every enlisted man. with
out Limitation. whose conduct and abil-
tiles fit him to pass the required exam
nations. In short. the entire army should
be turned into vast West Point. DO
everything possible to dignity the posi-
tion OF the enlisted man. As far as
possible make his training an education
that flts him TO he an officer and a gem
tleman. Guarantee to every young
American not the bare possibility but
the absolute certainty Of a subaltern's
commission in any contingent volunteer
army. providing he has undergone the
required training OF say seven or eight
years.
II might be objected that Il In not pos
sible 10 have an army OF officers and
gentlemen. The cadets at West Point
now serve as pr!vates during their ca
detship and are ofticered. In part at
east, by other fellow cadets who attain
their superior rank through excellence
IN SlullFN anu 'pllhuNNs MIC t4i'i' pil's
few hundred such young gentlemen
in America? Are there not rather many
millions OF such splendid boys
II the army were made democratic
In keeping with the American spirit
there would be a great gain IN the eco
nomIc and spiritual force o. the coun-
try in return every year TO the indus
trial ranks Of thousands OF highly
trained and educated men capable OF
taking executive command and leading
parts IN every department OF civil lie
under Constitution they had been
sworn 20 support and had come 10 ven
I.oAtLAnn