Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-04-20
SWISS DEFENSE PLAN
MEANS EQUAL RIGHTS.
No Just Reason Why one Able
Bodied Citizen Should Expect
Another Able-Rodied Citizen to
DO His Fighting-Sons of Rich
Families Are Compelled to Do
Their Part.
(From the Spokane Spokesman
Review.

lFrom the Spokane Spokesman
Review
The declaration of the Union
League club of New York for uni
versal military service for all
able-bodied men is an effective
answer to the assertion OCCASION
ally heard that if the United
States should find itself in Il de-
fensivc war the burden of fight
ing would he thrown on the
workingmen.
Under the unfair volunteer
plan there may be some sem
blance of truth in that COM
plaint. Under compulsory uni
versal service, as with the Swiss
system, that injustice would dis
appear.
The Union League club has a
large membership of wealthy and
well-to-do men. When they dc
clare for compulsory training of
all the young men of the nation
they manifest a democratic and
patriotic readiness to bear their
share Of the burden of national
defense. 1t means that such OF
them as We're of military age
would be enrolled in the great
citizen army of the republic. II
war should come their sons. their
nephews, their friends would have
TO go to the front.
Swiss Plan Beneficial.
The Swiss plan carries Three
invaluable features:
First: 1t is essentially just.
The rich, the wcll-to-do and the
poor are all called on alike to
render their share of patriotic
service. There is one common
bed for all-not two beds, as I'm
der the volunteer plan; a bed of
sacrifice for the high spirited
volunteers and a he'd OF defended
ease for the shirkcrs i'm the land.
Second: 1t develops the physi--
cal qualities of the individual
and the nation and through dis
cipline, the moral qualities as
Well. The youth is made a bet
ter, more reliant, more efficient
man.
Third: 1t would give the Uni
ted States q defensive force so
large and ample that the risk Of
war would practically vanish.
With strong navy as our first
line of defense, small regular
army as the second line. and sew
eral million young and hardy
Americans for the third lime.
trained TO use a rifle, TO maneu-
yer in the field, to take care OF
themselves in camp and ON the
march, it is beyond reasonable
belief that we could ever be as
sailed; and if any foreign power
should be so reckless as To Try
to land an invading force upon
these shores the outcome would
never be doubted for a moment.
Our people would go calmly about
their allotted industrial and busl-
ness tasks. We should scarcely
feel the shock of war at all.
Should BE Ample to Protect.
The lessons of Europe S great.
war point imprcssiNrlN TO our
need of preparedness Chat Will
be ample TO protect Even such
noted former peace advocates as
Nathan Straus have been Driven
reluctantly to that bclici.
Now the power to do This
thing-thc power TO prevent
war; declares Mr.. Slraus, can
be achieved only by the mos
thorough preparedness ON the
part of the nations that want
peace and order in the world.
This, maintain, is the over
whclming reason Why America
should have Il powerful navy and
a strong army and the thorough
equipment essential TO the eff
cicnt use Of this power.
1--WE need preparedness not to
fight battles, but to prevent bat
Ties being fought. deny en-
phatically that preparedness
leads to war. l assert With deep
conviction that through prepar-
edness on the part OF America
will be the best guarantee that
the world can have that there will
be no more war.
If it is possible for this coun-
try to be threatened by war--and
who can say that it is not pos
sible-can such a calamity be
better averted by weakness or by
strength?'
Great Army Not Wanted.
That strength must not be
sought in great standing army,
All our traditions, all our convic-
tions, all the judgment of great
Americans of the present and the
past, speak a solemn protest
against the building up OF a vast
standing army and placing on il
the nations hope of peace and
defense.
We ought to put our trust in a
o:l:.a., an,oo.x &c dnGnnnn 4hn4 sill