The Delta independent., 1916-10-27

easily and need not be upon a magnin-
| cent scale in advance. Then June
18th. working on this theory of ensy
and uHprePnrcG-for mobilization. he
commanded the entire National Gunrd
TO mobilize irnrnediateIy. After ten days
OF maximum effort Just II per cent of
the men were started for the border.
Over 20 per cent of the GuBri were
found to lie unfit for duty. Many of
the men who started for the border
had never received "a single days train
ing. Many had never fired rifle.
horses. Half the artillery batteries
| had no guns. know one division in
which, after three months. 10 per cent
Of the men have not received their
blouses and 20 per cent have not re-
| ceived their rifles. Some of the regi-
ments on the border have learned with
shape. Some have made no improve
ment. A few have proved utterly
worthless. because their officers were
SO unframed and so unfit for command
that they could not teach and guide
and help over difficulties and care for
their men. who became little better
than n mob.
hest Men ProfItcd.
The best men in the best regiments on
the border have rroflted much; have
profltcd more than men who go to the
excellent Plattsbprg and similar mill
tary training camps have profited. But
now. a ter over four months. first
class National Guard officer, who is
with MS regiment on the border. writes
I
troops in the country on the border and
they only total a very small force. part
OF which is Ineffective; 1 should say
that after three months. we have be-
tween 10000 and "a 600 useful troops in
all" In other words. nftcr three
months we did not assemble army
ut Ia resist single Gcrnunl or Jupnn-
e-e army corps, sach couid he laaded
In New York In fortnight or in san
francisco in month. President VIII
son has refused To rend the dreadful
lesson written In fire and blood acroS.
the fHcc of the world during the last
wv" years nnd quarter. He in~ icft
u> >hnRefuiIS unrendy TO protect
selves or do our duts by others.
The Swiss system.
Switzerland is a more genuinely dem
ocratic republic than we are, and there
Is nothing that has helped her people
more. physically. mentally and moral
ly. that has done more to perpctu-
ate and Increase the genuineness of her
democracy. than the universal training,
Of the kind advocate. which her sons
have received. So far from being mill
tarism. this kind OF universal trains
is healthy and efficient antiseptic to
militarism. An army SO trained. which
would consist of the citizenship OF the
country IN arms. would never be used
for aggression. Its only purpose would
be for self-defense. Every Intelligent
lover Of peace. every peace lover whose
convictions spring f-um reHsHu instead
OF from sheer hysttrl,al tImlllty and
folly, ought TO welcome the calling into
being Of such a system.
SNitZsf land in the tim. Of fhe M poe
lcouic wars was trawplsd on by all u
the surrounding heliiEcrsut nations.
saw gigantic battles between them
fought on its territory. and WAS finally
annexed by one Of them and It's young
men drafted Into lcr armies. The pres
frt war ice years later h1s seen her
territory respected, although had she
not been ready she would have uuques-
uunahly suffered The fate OF Belgium
The reason for the difference L. that
lOa NrnT- nuo there unS universal
trnininr among her men, nor any nptI-
tude for war ON the part Of the nation.
which therefore fell helpless prey TO
the military powers. Now there II uni
NerraI srrNicei the people trained
To defend themselves and because OF
the fact that they had been thus train
ed. that they were cffIcicent. that they
had prepared their strength. aai
ready to use their strength. t'.cy were
spared the necessity of using IL.
universaI Trimming.
l advocate universal military training
as much because of what IL will mean
for this nation in peace. as because OF
what IL VIII mean TO this nation In
war. Washington said; "A free people
ought not only to be armed. but dis
ciplined." This is simply another way
of saying that there should he uniVer-
sal obligatory military training for our
young mon; and surely We need the dis
cipline. all of us. In civf life just
much as in military life. such train
ing is vmphaticany American. emphat-
icnlly democratic. emphatically anti
militaristic; and every young man who
enjoys II Will be n better citizen in time
OF peace. better able to hold his own.
and more desirous OF doing his duty by
his fellows. ~ present only those who
can pay for II can get such training
and discipline. This is unjust. Al pres
cnt. in the event Of the outbreak of
war. the officers commissions must,
rightly and properly, be given to the
boys who. have fitted themselves for
the Jobs. Therefore under the present
system. instead OF having all the boys
withcut any regard to whether their
parents are or are not people OF means.
treated alike and the best men made
officCr@ we find commi ssinns limited
to those who can afford to pay for
their training. Inevitably under pres
ent conditions. II a war came a very
much larger proportion OF the officers
would be chosen from this class than
dition to this. the shirk. the coward,
the mere money gcttcr. the creature
without patriotism would stay at
home and would try FOR the sob the
patriotic man LEFT when he went to
the front. l have actually seen. even
this summer cases where mon who
have been sent to the front in the Ma
tional Guard have had their jobs taken
by men whom | am sure, no mere APP
peal to patriotism would ever be able
to get to the front
The ThinE To DO.
The democratic thing is to give all
of the men, rich aud poor. a chance
on equal terms To prove the st-ff there
Is In them. SO as to secure each man
MS flkhtss Ihrus IN order to exact
from enrh mon the fuii performance
of his duty, make the lazy mnr. the
selfish mnp. the mere greedy money
rettcr. the poitroon and the parifist do
their part of the work Of wnr. when
Nnr comes. ned run their full share of
the danger. instead of sitting nt ease
nj home To profit bS the couragc and
~eif-~ncrificc of their more patriotic
brothers. THIS is imporativciN needed,
from the standpoint of the nation. II
win secure our national efficiency In
war. II will Immensely help our indi-
vidual efficiency In time Of peace 1t
viii benefit us individually in soul,
mind and body. II will make thu aver
arc maj mora q n,etfp,. MI la,,.-