New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-10
To the Edl.or Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your editorials Of the past three
months have been so intensely gratifying to
ono who has been looking forward to some
dav seeing such sentiments expressed. but
who had rot dared to hope TO find such
change Of sentiment so soon. that The writer
wants 20 EXPRESS 10 you his most sincere
thanks for them.
Returning last summer from a short visit
to Germany. France and England four OF
US, all with different experiences and widely
diversified fields OF action, foregathcred one
night 10 compare notes. The conclusions
reached were the obvious ones TO anybody
who has been in the war zone: that IS. that
everything in human power that could be
done 20 make war thing Of the past should
be done, but that from the express ions We
had heard and the opinions expressed re-
garding America there was only one real
problem confronting the loyal American
how to arouse America 10 its danger and
make our people realize that the days OF
our safety were over, that we have no friends
in foreign lands and that there was but one
thing essential now to the nation. viz, prep
sration.
The following morning the writer. while
chatting with Mr. Robert Bacon, told him OF
the conversation and said that though for
many years he had been an antiRoosevelt
man he had now become the most rabid OF
pro-Rooseveltians, because he believed that
the Colonel il elected President. was the
only man in the United States who, without
r 10 ha
Try a. large 20 the immediate necessity OF
preparation. Mr.. Bacon explained so dis
coursgingly the difficulties, at that time, Of
these hopes being realized, on account of
certain prejudice that existed among the
powers that be, that any thought. along the
line OF the Colonel for President seemed 70
be doomed 10 disappointment So you can
readily imagine the pleasure your vigorous
and virile editorials gave me, with their total
disregard of anything but the countrys
needs and its best interests.
To anybody who has been in France and
Germany anything but universal service is
nothing short Of absurd, but here again it
did not seem possible that Americans would
accept such a suggestion calmly without
great amount of preliminary education, espe-
cislly as neither Mr.. Wilson nor Colonel
Roosevelt. as far as the writer has seen, has
softened the suggestion by presenting what
seem. to be its most important aspect
Universal service should not be advocated
on the grounds Of expediency in securing the
required number Of men. etc, but the
sole ground that Il is the only just and
equitable method Of defence FOR democratic
nation and the most Ideally democratic thing
l..
from highest 10 lowest, every family has d
brother husband. father. some one near and
dear, at the front. What could be more
democratic than this? War if 1t ha. to
come. IS a stern, all-absorbing problem. and
should involve In the sacrifice demanded not
selected sacrifice, not the bachelor, the
enthusiast, the r-do-well. but the bone
sinew and brain OF the entire nation.
Have France and Germany any "Footer"
problems Mo- For the all absorbing CON
centrs,ion on the matter in hand. so neces-
ssry in every endeavor in life and so well
understood as 70 be platitude. is universal
in these countries, and a solidihed nation
with but single purpose, a single thought
and q single hope. exists
II universal service means this then IL
citizenship means anything here. If our
melting pot is real, when our travail comes
our democracy should be so welded together
by universal service that differences in caste.
creed. color and birth heritage should have
disappeared. and the classes By years as
they were called out would represent every
state in the Union. inland and seaboard.
North and South. every walk Of life without
exception. ar army OF Americans sufficiently
trained In arms to know how 70 protect them
selves from the Wholesale slaughter tina. in
experience invites in modern warfare. II