The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1916-08-12
How the Wilson
Administration Has
PenaliZed Patriotism


further aggression upon the territory
pf the United States from Mexico and
the necessity for the proper protec-
ton 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
existing peace strength. but at war
strength. which is practically double.
Lacking . system Of reserves. the
National Guard organizations immedi-
ately had to start a campaign OF re-
cruiting. TO bring about the desired In.
crease In their numbers.
Patriotic young citizens, under the
urge OF the cry. "Your country needs
you." volunteered for service In graft.
flying numbers According to Senator
Chamberlain. chairman OF the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs, the re-
suit Is that about 1886 citizen sol.
diers have been mustered into the
federal service and are now on the
Mexican border or In camp In their
homo states. There may be more. but
the administration refuses to make
known the exact figures.
The movement Is costing the public
treasury many millions OF dollars; II
is costing the individual citizen sol
diers many millions more. They went
to the front believing the cry. Your
country needs you" for war service.
They sacrificed Advancement In their
civn occupations. severed home 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,
fatten at homo on these losses.
Tho real purposes OF the call are
slowly developing. They are two in
number:
G1rst. . patrol OF the border TO do
the work which President Wilson's
friend. Carranza, finds II impossih q
TO do. Because the recognized govern.
0ent in Mexico Is too ineffective tc
keep its own citizens In check a,
prevent them numbering Americans
ON American soil. the American gov.
doing that work for them. The mur.
der OF American citizens on Mexican
soil 10 another matter. Carranza may
90 - far as he likes in that direction.
Second. . purpose OF the mobiliza.
tion on the border and In the camps
= 20 train citizens 60 perform effective
military service. The regular military
establishment OF the nation is mani
fsstly too small for the actual military
needs. To this extent the cry. "Youy
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.
uced.
Opposing In the open legislation for
universal military service. the admin.
tstration by Its acts has established
what In essence IL system OF com.
pulsory military service. II IL a sys.
TEN all the more vicious because II
operates only against the patriotic.
whereas q legalized universal training
system sQualizes the burden OF mill.
tary service among all men and all
classes 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
4 was incumbent on this nation to
build up Its tiny regular army and put
It's other military resources In condi.
ton 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 all
agitation for military preparedness
was hysterical: that we were ade
quAtsly prepared.
After . while the administration
changed It's mind and protessed to
believe In the necessity for prepared.
ness. First came an enactment 20
increase tho regular army by 10000
But the body OF the country, and even
all parts OF the Democratic admins.
traton. could not change front so
quickly as the head. Recruiting for
Nh0 ltkuiai lekkth ANVt 1St
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 the
administration issued Its call for mo-
btlizatton Of the citizen soldiery |,
seemed stin obssssed With the Bryan
action that an army could be created
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; |,
had made no provision for transport
ing tho troops called TO the points
where they were required.
Who suffered most by this smaE
ing lack OF foresight this leaptng be-
fore looking?