The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-11-19
VOLUNTEER SYSTEM IN ACTION

On Thursday an American whose
large knowledge and mature states
manship are coming more and more
into the thought of his countrymen
during this anxious period, Elihu Root.
Endorsed publicly the idea of universal
service. We do not expect that his
courageous and far seeing counsel
will be accepted at once by the ma
ton but we do cherish the hope that
it's wisdom will be impressed upon us
before it Is too late. says the Chicago
Tribune. Americans will come to 1t
the more quickly if they observe the
conditions which have fmperiled
Great Britain's military operations,
have cost her needless social demon
alization, and in the end may involve
her empire IN disaster. They will
come to it the more quickly If they
read their own national history and
realize that England's experience has
been ours and will be again unless we
amend our ways.
It appears now that the earl OF
Derby's compromise with CONSUMPTION
is not going to prove effectual, except
as a preliminary Of the draft. 1t Is
a plausible plan, but 1t does not ma
terially affect the fundamental evils
of the volunteer system. It is pallfa-
tive only, and not sufficient from the
point of view of individual justice or
of public policy or Of military effi-
cheney.
The Derby system in effect regis
tiers the will of the men and then
draws upon them as necessity re-
quires in proportion to their ability
and liberty to serve. That is, mar
ried man Of 40 and young unmar-
ried man Of 20 volunteer. Both have
submitted themselves to the needs Of
the state. The married man has re-
sponsibilities which make it important
to leave him undisturbed so long as
possible. The unmarried man is foot
loose and can be drawn In an earlier
levy.
The scheme endeavors to assure
the British an equitable distribution
of burdens, a proportional and cons1d-
crate distribution, and to give to de-
cent citizens willing to undertake the
burden Of their responsibility the COM
fort Of knowing that they are not
carrying a load which some other fell
low ought to be bearing or which
ought to be shared with some other
man more able but less willing to get
under It.
It reduces the voluntary system to
as orderly and equitable process as
It can be made, but it leaves the
shirker with his freedom and his i'm
munitv and it makes duty optional.
Consequently it never can be fair and
lust. 1t Furnishes the best class Of
citizens. It protects the worst.
In last weeks New Republic there
was a description of a recruiting
meeting in Trafalgar square. The
writer made the impression that he
had no convictions before he saw
what he described and that he was
endeavoring to forbid the conviction
which was trying to take form In his
mind after he had seen it.
A lean, hard, aristocratic officer
who had offered himself. taken his
. chances. and done his duty was whip
ping a crowd Of sluggards with all
the bitter rhetoric at his command.
It remained a crowd Of sluggards. 1t
was evident that the one wish in the
officers mind was to have the right
to Law authoritative hands upon the
men who had the curiosity to hear
what he had to say. but lacked the
shame to he moved by it.
Through the crowd were scattered
men in uniform who had seen SER
vice and were back home. If slug
gard showed but by an opened mouth
or by nervous movement that he
! had been touched at all the uniform
ed men were on him. giving his reluct-
ance, his ti1nidity. his unwillingness,
and hesitation the shame Of public
demonstra tlon and, where flicker OF
pride came to the rescue of the I'M
| fortunate. dragging him away to vol
| unteer for the defense Of the empire
This is recruiting for the defense
Of the country by appeal to the free
will of citizens. 1t leaves the mind
with an emotion Of nausea. After
the cream of nation has been skim
med. the voluntary system gets only
| the weaklings who have not the cour'
age to refuse. 1t takes one kind Of
courage to go: it requires another to
stand out boldly against gibes. white
| feathers and insults and refuse to