The Washington herald., 1916-08-13
Militia Inspector Urges
Universal Army Service
Swiss System of Military Training Necessary as a
Measure of Preparedness-Plan Would Give
Six Months Schooling to Lads of IS.

The National Guard mobilization was
pretty bad. II was sufficiently efficient
for Mexico, but IT would not have done
at all for Germany or Japan or the
United Kingdom. The mobilization and
all the steps toward preparedness taken
In conjunction with the Mexican crisis
have given us an unsnswerable argu-
ment for universal compulsory military
service.
The argument for general service d.
vides itself into three aspects: the ex-
cessive cost OF the volunteer system, the
great burden laid upon the volunteers,
their employers and their families. and
the entire lack OF efficiency.
According to Col Henry Barrett Cham
berlain. Inspector General Of the IIli-
nois National Guard, in an article in
Chamberlin's Magazine:
Kitchener required two years TO build
up force from The territoria!s. which
are equivalent to our militia, and from
voluntary enlistments." says the Phil
adelDhia Inquirer How long would II
take to whip our National Guardsmen
into 4 genuine fighting machine?
There is but one safe plan-the Roose-
welt plan. or the Swiss plan. There
should be universal training of the
young.
Suppose that in place Of all this call
ing OF volunteers from their employment,
this depriving of wives and children
and old people OF their wage earners, We
had entered the Mexican crisis under
some such system as that proposed in
the model service law prepared by Capt.
George Van Horn Moseley OF the army
general star. What a difference there
would have been.
Training at Eighteen.
Under the Moseley law every boy in
the United States, upon reaching the
age of eighteen. would become liable
for six months of intensive training
under field conditions.
Boys taken out OF the country would
have TO serve upon their return.
No boy could secure employment until
he showed his service certificate. Mem
bers OF anti-war religious beliefs would
have to do duty only in the hospital
corps or the engineers. This means that
Vanderbilt and Przaniski would both
serve side by side. This, il no Other regu-
lar army We're maintained, would give
US 5000 boys under arms at all times,
or 10000 new soldiers every year.
AS $4,000 new soldiers would be turn
ed out every year. he would have $50, ,oo1
younger men behind him at the age Of
twenty-five and 100000 at the age Of
twenty-eiEht. This means that the
chances Of his ever being called to the
coIors would he very slight indeed after
say, his twenty-third year.
Cost 10 Per Cent that of Present.
The government. on its side. would get
a PERMANENT standing army Of sufficient
size and would rapidly build up behind II
Z nation Of men trained in the elements
Of soldering. These, being organized in
the reserves. would be available when
wanted without confusion or delay. The
cost per soldier-no wages would have to
be paid-wOuld be scarcely :" per cent
Of the present cost.
Opposition to compulsory service in
this country rests in the tradition Of per-
sonal liberty. But persons who hold
this view do 50 from an imperfect ap7re-
ciatiOn OF the situation. Personal liberty
IS best served ana TerDetuated by this
gift Of universal service.
Many good citizens regarded the Hay
Chamberlain Ian rs the solution Of our
T-0b.em 1t looks forward 10 bGildiry
IN a .arEc reserve army by vo.unte,r
enlistment
And recruiting. both in the Guard and
in the regUIar army, has been made more
difficult 10y recent developments. In the
past many men entered the Guard ho-
-ause Of 4 liking for drill or for the social
advantages offered They did not look
forward 10 any call to duty in the field.
Tn, mobilization o-dcr came upon thou
sands Of younS men like a lhunderbolt
Thev were forced to give Up good posi-
tons and 10 leave their families 10 the
care ot others Almost all OF them ac-
"eUted the situation with the greatest
pluck But II the service means only two
gr three months Of dun idling in the
SITTING heat Of Texas desert they will
heartily regret their Joining the Guard.
When their term expires they will not
re-onlist. Recruits in future. once the
stimulus Of active service is removed.
will not so into the civilian regiments in
the same liEht-hearted manner they have
in the past-the federal oath and oversee
ser-lce will stare them in the face"
Moreover. under that Hay-Chamber-