The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1916-09-21
How the Wilson
Administration HaS
Penalized Patriotism

bf the United States from Mexico and
The necessity for the proper protec-
lion Of that frontier" President VIII
SON. on June Is. called out the mobile
arms Of the National Guard for federal
service.
He did not call them out at their
sxisting peace strength. but at war
strength. which 10 practically double.
Lacking q system Of reserves, the
National Guard organizations immedi-
ately had to start campaign Of re-
crease In their numbers.
Patriotic young citizens, under the
urge Of the cry, "Your country needs
you." volunteered for service In graft
tying numbers. According to Senator
Chamberlain, chairman of the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs. the re-
suit Is that about $4,000 citizen sol
aiers have been mustered into the
federal service and are now on the
Mexican border or In camp in their
home states. There may be more. but
the administration refuses TO make
known the exact figures.
The movement 10 costing the public
treasury many millions OF dollars; II
b costing the individual citizen SOL
Hers many millions more. They went
10 the front believing the cry. "Your
sountry needs you." for war service.
They sacrificed advancement In their
sivn occupations, severed homo ties,
suffered. In thousands of instances,
great financial loss The less pa
triotic, who did not believe the cry. or
believing. declined to maKe sacrifices.
tatten at homo on these losses.
The real purposes OF the call are
slowly developing. They are two In
number:
First. . patrol of the border to do
the work which President Wilson's
friend. Carranza, finds II impossible
30 do. Because the recognized govern
ment In Mexico is too ineffective to
keep its own citizens in check and
prevent them numbering Americans
on American soil. the American gov
eminent undertakes the costly task OF
doing that work for them. The muir
der of American citizens on Mexican
soil Is another matter. Carranza may
60 az far as he likes in that direction.
Second. purpose OF the mobiliza-
ton on the border and In the camps
d to train citizens to perform effective
military service. The regular military
establishment of the nation is mani
testify too small for the actual military
needs. To this extent the cry, "Your
country needs you" was correct
But these facts were not made clear
when the call was issued. The idea
was promulgated that men were need
cd for actual war service; not for
military training. Deceit was prac-
Heced.
Opposing IN the open legislation for
universal military service. the admin
astration by It's acts has established
what In essence 10 q system OF COM
pulsory military service. II Ii q sys-
tenn all the more vicious because Il
operates only against the patriotic.
whereas a legalized universal training
system equalizes the burden of mill
tary service among all men and all
Glasses Of men.
When. IN 1914. Europe plunged into
the greatest war of all history, and
conditions in Mexico grew intolerable.
intelligent men realized the fact that
It was incumbent on this nation 10
build up its tiny regular army and put
tts other military resources In condi-
tion for use. National safety demanded
this. And yet In December of that
year, four months after the European
war began, President Wilson went be-
fore Congress and declared that al
agitation for military preparedness
was hysterical; that we were ade
quately prepared.
After a while the administration
changed It's mind and professed t.
believe in the necessity for prepared
mess. First came an enactment Il
increase the regular army by 10000
But the body of the country. and ever
all parts OF the Democratic admins
tration. could not change front 81
quickly as the head. Recruiting tol
the regular army Jagged. Not ye
have the 10000 been secured
The need pressed A new national
defense act. providing for still more
men In the regular army. was enacted
But still the men were not forthcom
ing.
Suddenly and without warning thu
administration issued its call for mo
Utilization of the citizen soldiery. I
seemed stin obsessed with the Bryan
notion that an army could be createt
BY presidential ukase.
When the call went out the govern
ment did not own enough uniforms
shoes. socks, blankets, hats. wagons
trucks. horses. mules and other thing
essential to equip the men called; I
had made no provision for transport
ing the troops called TO the pointa
where they were required.
Who suffered most by this amaz
ang lack of foresight this leaping be
fore looking?
Only the $4,000 patriots who be
aieved that their country needed them