The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-09-07
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1916.
UNIVERSAL MILITARY TRAINING.

UNIVERSAL MlLIlAKY lKAlNlN1.
Is universal military training to be the
ultimate solution of the American pre-
paredness problem?
Any attempt to adopt legislation estab-
fishing the system in the United States
would undoubtedly fail at this time, be-
cause the people have not yet been thor
oughly educated to its need, and because
they still confuse it with the compulsory
service of imperial Europe.
AS Representative Anthony, of Kansas,
said, after writing to 5000 representative
farmers, business men, bankers, editors and
professional men of his district:
Ny idea is that every young man at some period
between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one
should have at least six months military service
with the colors. Such training would not only
be of value to the government from military
standpoint, but would go a long way toward deyel.
oping the American youth to a higher standard OF
physical manhood.
AS showing the growth of the sentiment,
it may be interesting to note that in April
the legislature of New York passed the
Welsh bill almost unanimously, to provide
for the general physical and military train
ing of all schoolboys in the state. between
the ages of sixteen and nineteen.
Wyoming has had a system of military
tt aiming for high school pupils for the last
five years and it is considered model The
plan was developed by Lieutenant E.. L.
Steever, and was first adopted at Cheyenne,
after intense opposition. The boys were
divided into wall-scaling, infantry drill,
troop leadership, scholarship, field firing,
and camp units. Rewards were made to
each unit as body, not to individuals No
less an authority than Major-General
Wood recently said of this system: GIVE
these Steever cadets three months in a
training camp for the purpose of coordin-
ating what they have learned and familiar
izing them with the work in the mass, and
you will have as fine and effective body
of troops as ever took arms in defense of &
country"
The McComber bill authorizes the Sec
rotary of War to prepare abandoned OF
unoccupied military posts for the use Of
military training camps for the summer
instruction of high school students in the
same general manner as is now provided
f, for the training Of cadets at West Point
has not yet passed. but sentiment seems t.
be setting strongly in the direction of uni
versal military training
mot more than three or four letters tn,
League Ids ICIClNCd lldNC ulSpuICd lll'
soundness of the principle involved in thi
proposed system of national defense" say
the National Security League, SUMMARY
ing the result of a nationwide inquiry.
Representative Seigel, of New York
wrote:
I realize fully that the time is fast approach
ing when some system of universal military train
ing and service in this country either the Swiss
Australian, will have to be enacted into law, but /
Gel we baveD of a sniff
ly in its favor and must proceed with it slowly
until the public realize the real necessity for it.
Representative Littlepage, of West Vir
ginia wrote:
Representative Littlepage, of West Virginia,
told the league: "There is a sentiment prevailing
in congress that military training of young men of
the country is desirable and to the best interest
of the country at large well the young men
themselves"
Quotations endorsing the movemen
might be multiplied without end, and sen
timent seems to be equal in both north an
south
That the question of thorough prepared
ness can not be solved until universal train
ing of some SOFT is adopted is self-evident
For one thing it will give us preparedness
at less expense; and for another thing
citizen army is more in keeping with tn
ideas OF democracy than large STANDING
army.
The biggest problem is the man who ha