Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1915-02-02
Where the People
May Have Hearing
To the Editor of The Republican,

10 tnc EuItOr OF Inc RepuDllcan,
Sir:
+! | have been watching the columns of
The Republican in vain for some one to
protest against the recommendations of
ADJ. Gen. Harris, that military instruc-
ton be given in the public schools, and
that compulsory service of three years
in the National Guard be required of all
boys between the age of Is and 20.
| 1t is not at all surprising that Mr..
! HARRIS makes recommendation of
such character 1t is not at all SurpriS-
. ing that military officers are, ut all
times and almost to the man, in favor
of more efficient army or navy. Their
whole lfe's training is in that direction
and for that purpose. To my mind
there are two reasons why this recon-
menGation is untimely.
| The first is that there is no need of
an army of such proportions as would
be attained by the compulsory service
, of all young men between the ages of
is and 81
! Three years of training would make
. man fit for a soldier any time he
1 i'ioit pC Nolith w " Tic eiSt mint VI
a soldiers requirement Thus we would
have a nation of men trained as sold
iers for the national defense.
And what a Bugaboo is their fear of
! foreign invasion, There is not now and
will not be for years to come, the re-
hottest possibility foreign invasion.
! When the nations now engaged in
! the greatest tragedy of the worlds his
tory, have fought to a finish: have left
/ millions of their strongest and best
men dead on the battlefield, and mil
lions of others MANNED and crippled or
! in the grip of disease brought on by
! hardship and exposure; their treasurys
| depleted devastation on all sides, with
ruinous taxation in view: when, J say.
these nations experience and realize all
these things, they will not think of in
, vading the United States of America.
The end of this European war will
leave all nations engaged in it Hors de
combat as far as the United States is
concerned.
| Even under conditions existing before
the outbreak of European hostlities, it
seems to me at least it was impractic-
able for any foreign power to land with
force enough to be Il menace to us.
Because of the well night positive
improbability of foreign invasion for
years to come: the suggestion to teach
militarism in the public school is. it
seems to me. most untimelX. FOR de-
fence. they say And the only adequate
defence is to kill the enemy SO 1t IS
proposed to teach our boys haW to XIII
other boys. How to run the bayonet
into his neck leaving him dead or help
less is the instruction being given to
the Normal Cadets just now. Horrible
suggestion, 1t is hoped that war will
sometime be thing of the past. 1t is
long step backward when we propose
training a large number of our young
men for war when the outlook for
peace with all foreign powers for years
to come was never better than 1t Is
now. 1t seems to me that row, while
We have the horrible example of the
failure of military efficiency to insure
feace between nations. and while our
own safety is so assured we should
assert with all the energy and persist
ance we can, that justice, charity and
Tolerance is the only foundation for in
ternational peace That to save lie
and property is more heroic than u
destroy The opportunity for TINS ma
i ion TO be of great service to humanity
is at hand. Public opinion must be
cultivated in the right direction Pub
lie opinion gets what it demands. Are
We going to be found wanting? Are The
burdens of militarism increased MANY
fold h. the present war to be placed
upon those who come after us, Just be
cause we would not cast milltarlsn
aside when it has proved failure!
The world expects great things o
us. We have renowned war. We mus
initiate the movement which VIII pre-
vent future wars. VIII be do it?
Il. ].