Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1916-09-01
How the Wilson
Administration Has
PenaliZed Patriotism

further aggression upon the territory
Of the United States from Mexico and
the necessity for the proper protec-
ton Of that frontier" President Will
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 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
tying numbers. According to Senator
Chamberlain, chairman of the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs, the re-
suit is that about $4,000 citizen sol
diers have been mustered into the
federal service and are now on tho
Mexican border or in camp in their
acme 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
Tiers many millions more. They went
% the front believing the cry. Your
country needs you" for war service.
They sacrificed advancement in their
civil occupations, severed home ties,
suffered, in thousands of instances
great financial loss. The less pa
:riotic, who did not believe the cry. or
believing. declined to make sacrifices.
tatten at home on these losses
The real purposes of the call are
slowly developing. They are two in
lumber:
First, q patrol OF the border to do
the work which President Wilson's
friend. Carranza. finds it impossible
to 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 as far as he likes in that direction.
Second, purpose of the mobiliza-
tioS on the border and in the camps
is 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
But these facts were not made clear
when the call was issued. The idea
was promulgated that men were need.
ed for actual war service; not for
military training. Deceit was prac.
ticed.
Opposing in the open legislation for
universal military service. the admin.
fstration by its acts has established
what in essence is system of COM
pulsorv military service II is a sys.
tenn all the more vicious because II
operates only against the patriotic.
whereas legalized universal training
system equalizes 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
It was incumbent on this nation to
build up it's tiny regular army and put
its other military resources in condi
ton for use. Nationalnsafety 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
r quately prepared.
o After a while the administration
$ changed its mind and protested t
believe in the necessity for prepared
ness. First came an enactment Il
9 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 TO
5 the regular army Jagged. Not va
have the 10000 been secured.
8 The need pressed new nationa
& defense act providing for still NOR,
3 men in the regular army. was enacted
& But still the men were not forthcom
y ing
x Suddenly and without warning tn
q administration issued its call for me
* bilization of the citizen soldiery,
y seemed stin obsessed with the Bryal
y notion that an army could be create
g by presidential ukase.
X When the call went out the govern
6 ment did not own enough uniforms
3 shoes socks. blankets hats. wagons
2 trucks. horses, mules and other thing
8 essential to equip the men called:
g had made no provision for transport
8 ing the troops called to the point
g where they were required.
8 Who suffered most by this amai
8 ing lack of foresight this leaping bt
q fore looking?
8 Only the $4,000 patriots who bt