The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-19
MI iTARY TRAINING IS NOT
 DESIGNED TO MAKE MACHINES OF MEN, AYERS MAJ. GEN. 0'RYAN
Noted Leader Points Out Arguments Raised Against Practices Used In Militia and DWels Upon Ad- vanages of the Psychology of Discipline.

every question of public interest, it is beclouded by varying conceptions of what is involved. Some of these con captions are not based upon realities. In the first place, there is distinc- ton to be made between universal ser vice and compulsory service. Univer- sal service is necessarily compulsory, but compulsory service is not neces- sarily universal. As there are nearly a million young men who become of military age annually, it is apparent that, if we required two years ser vice with the coIors, we would main tain a standing army in time of peace of nearly two millions of men, and so universal service, in the literal sense, is not advocated in this country, with our great population. Compulsory military service in a country with a population the size of ours would in volve the adoption of classes of ex- emptions of such character and mum Der that the system would result in the maintenance of an army at any strength that might be prescribed. and comp osed of a personnel most willing to serve Under such a system, in time of war, when greater forces were needed, the authority which had the power to prescribe exemptions would rescind exemptions so that greater numbers would be called to serve, as the occasion demanded. Under such a. system, there would be no break
 
 A war would be regrettable, but if war comes the most humane way of conducting it is to utilize at it's out break the entire organized military might of the nation.
 There is a school of thought in our country which advocates universal mil ftary training, as distinguished from universal or compulsory military ser vice. Universal military training is predicted upon the idea that it is the duty of the state not only to provide in time of peace for the education and health of the individual citizen, but to provide for his health and safety in time of war. It is urged that this can only be done by training him in time of pe8ce to a reasonable under standing of the business of war. Ac- -cording to this conception of universal to provide for the maintenance of great standing army, but to ad- equately train in the shortest period of time required for the purpose all the young men of the land, so that they may return to their civil occupations better citizens and better disciplined 1 and more dependable men, as we'll as qualified soldiers.
 The difficulty which arises in the av- craze mind attempting to determine adoption of a policy of this character | is based upon the presentation of the | case. Extreme partisans on one side | can see nothing but future Chinafied 1 America, in the absence. of a huge standing army supported by universal military service, while extreme parti- sans on the other side see the ihsid- ious menace Of militarism and a pol icy of conquest in every attempt to provide for reasonable military prep aration. Is not the plan for universal military training safe and at the e~~,~, +e roIn what have observed of the develop ment Of young men after two or three years of service in the regular army and the National Guard know that in the vast majority of eases the train ing has made of them better men physically, more alert mentally, has promoted punctuality, thoroughness and attention to detail. It has in fused into them greater respect for law and order, and a realization and appreciation of the greater measure of accomplishments that flows from cooperative and disciplined effort un- der leadership. These are qualities needed by men in the everyday strug- gle for existence, and any system which will promote such qualities will make us a more efficient people.
 From an intimate and extended ac- quaintance with officers both regular and National Guard, throughout the country, I believe that they are as free from the spirit of militarism as that term is understood in it's objectionable 1 conception, as are any of our paeifist friends. I conscientfously believe that the adoption of a policy of uni versaI military training would be of great value, not only to the fndfvid- uaI. citizen, but to the industry of the country. Certainly it would consti- tute a safe and adequate form of na- tfona1 military preparedness, 40 nnrnTn DEECE