Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-22

one year of his life, probably the
tWenty-flst year, as a soldier, and
would thereafter be subject to call for
military service. 1t is estimated that
ono year of compulsory service would
give the United States an admy of
from 10000 to a million men.
The chief practical objection urged
against this plan is that it would take
more men away from industry than
were absolutely necessary for de-
fense. This objection could probably
he largely overcome by intelligent
regulation. The real objection to the
plan is that the American people do
not want it. At least. so say all of
the legislators, and the secretary of
war and other high officials concur.
There are a good many congress-
men who would like to see our land
forces increasing by giving federal
aid to the militia, thus encoura ging
enlistment in that body. This plan is
supported by congressman, as it
would make them popular with the
local militia. All students of the stu
alton are agreed, however, that an
effective army could not possibly be
built up in this way. The constitu-
tion makes it impossible to put the
State militia, as such, under federal
control. 1t must remain under the
control of forty-eight different States
and an army thus divided would vio-
late the first principle of military or
ganization, which is centralized con-
troll.
The remaining plan under conside-
ration is that which has been drawn
by the administration and laid before
the congressional committees by the
secretary of war. 1t has been called
the continental army plan, and is
simply a method for raising a volun-
teer army in time of peace.
This plan, in brief, proposes to
raise four hundred thousand volun-
teers in three annual increments of
$4,000 men each. The country would
be divided up into districts, the pres
ent congressional districts probably
being used, and each of them would
be requested TO furnish its quota of
men. Thes men would enlist for three
years and would be on furlough for
three years.
During his three years of enlist
ment, however. this proposed vol
unteer would serve probably not more
than two months a, year. The essen
tials of the plan are that the volun-
teers would enlist in time of peace and
agree to serve for a few months or
weeks every year until they had be-
come competent soldiers, while for
another period OF years they would
be subject to call.
Inc advocates OF JnlS plan QSpenu
upon the public sentiment in favor
of national preparedness to insure a
sufficient enlistment They believe
that men would enlist in this force
much more readily than in the mill
tia, because the continental army
would be a body for federal defense
only and could not be called upon
for police duty as is the militia. There
are about 10000 men in the. State
militia. If a little more than three
times this number enlist in the con-
tinental army, the desired force will
be reached.
The objection to this plan is that it
does not insure any force at all. There
is also a drawback in the fact that
it will become a sort Of a rival to the
State militia and that these two or
ganizations may contend for men and
money to the detriment of both. on
the other hand, the provision that
State and militia men may enlist in
the continental army without change
of rank may do much to obviate the
latter difficulty.