The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-01
MEDICAL ASPECT
IS MP0RTANTIN
PREPAREDNESS
100000 Pupils Suffer
From Physical Defects
Which May Be Amenable
To Training.

To Training.
The Medical Record discusses the
question Of universal military educa-
ton chiefly from the viewpoint of it's
medical aspect. The statement is
made in its current issue, quoting from
a recent work of DR.. Lucien Howe
that three-quarters of the 10000, 900
pupils in the United States suffer from
physical defects that require atten-
ton and menace health. It is also
pointed out that the American bow
lacks Difference to his elders and also
lacks self-reStraint and self-sacrifice
Military discipline will correct these
faults, in the opinion of the writer
as well as teach obedience to American
citizens.
I'm all the great amount Of discus
sion which has been going on about
preparedness, and compulsory mill
tary service Or education" says the
writer, +'the arguments have largely
conferred around the legality of the
procedure, its military necessity or adj
visibility, and the possibility of the
development of a militaristic party
which would endeavor to force the
country into war. Advantages which
would accrue to the individual in the
way Of physical and mental develop
ment have been mentioned, but not,
we think, with sufficient emphasis
while this country may excel in a
competition of trained athletes, or in
| certain kinds of mental ingenuity or
shrewdness, it is certain that the av-
man iS far from q ,icfura
of perfect physical development, and
the lack Of self-control and the ex-
IRENE contempt for the law of the
American have become proYerbial. A
casual inspection of the crowds on the
streets of any one of our large cities
will reveal pale, under-nourished, and
poorly developed youths, and pasty
fabby men in large numbers, and will
convince the open minded observer Of
the desirability for the Individual of
some form Of regular physical train
ing. That the country bred, more
over, are not greatly superior to those
brought up in the city has been
the experience of most military men
who have had occasion to handle large
numbers of troops.
'In addition to this physical handi-
| Cdp Iu6 GUILTY. is CuIOSu Will L1l0
presence Of a very large group who,
confusing liberty and license, confess
allegiance to no constituted authority.
These individuals demand from society
every protection and the opportunity
for material gain. but deny the right
Of that society to exact any return. It
lis particularly in respect to these
points that DIR. Lucien Howe develops
his discussion in his recent book on
Universal Military Education and Ser
vice. He points out the proposition
Of the United States in world politics
and our need for adequate prepara-
ton, and outlines briefly the Swiss and
Australian systems and their applica-
bility to this country.
1.-THE many advantages Of universal
military education to the nation are
SO evident as to need little discussion
and he devotes most of his attention
to the development Of his chief argu-
ment, the advantages of such educa-
ton to the individual. Education
should include the development Of the
pupil in at least four different direc-
tions-hea1th, knowledge, character.
and efficiency. He points out that of
twenty million pupils in this country
about three-fourths have physical de-
fects sufficiently grave to require at
tention and seriously to threaten
health. Partly as a result Of this poor
start the standard Of health of the
average American is so low that over
SO per cent. Of the applicants for the
army and navy were rejected for phys
ical Utilities in 1914 and in the
following year less than 10 per cent.
of the applicants for the Marine Corps
were found to be physically fit.
"Most certainly any system of mill
tary training would necessarily include
gymnastic exercises and these regular
ly performed and accompanied by the
regular routine physical examinations
would inevitably rapidly rise the STAN
dard of physical health of our youth.
In the matter of knowledge America
does not rank SO low as she does in
military strength yet there is still room
for Improvement. In all countries
the percentage of illiterates is much
Less in the army than in the civilian
population and in Germany, the most
militaristic nation of our time, there
is but on illiterate for every 3S5 in the
continental United States.
SIN it's effects on character and eff
cheney military training would have
no less striking and important re-
suits The lack of Difference shown
by the American boy to his elders is
notorious and parallels his lack of self
restraint and self-sacrifce, qualities
out of which character is developed.
AS logical consequences of our slack
ness in early training America stands
high among the nations in intempe-
rance, divorce, disobedience to law
and crime. The most sure way of
correcting these fundamental faults
in our youth is shown by some form
Of military discipline.
Universal military training would
also provide trade instruction for the
youth and thus increase his efficiency
as a unit in the country's productive
strength. The girl also would re-
ceive her share in instruction and
would be better prepared to share in
governmental respo nsibilities and in
the education of the young. The at
titude Of the so-called 'pacifists' and
their apparent number afford strong
support to the disgraceful accusation
that many Americans rank low in 10y
atty and in readiness to sacrifice per-
sona1 interest to the good Of the coun-
try.
ssThe one great lesson taught by mil
e. iSt 1o Ioc