The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1916-09-30
MILITARY TRAINING,

Under a system OF UNIVERSAL obl'*
gatory training all able bodied Ameri.
can youth--the sons of the rich as veil
as the sons of families less well to do
would be- required 10 take a feW
months of military training II Is
thought that this instruction could best
be given az tho age OF is or 20 When
thus given the young man would re-
turn TO civil life.
Ia time OF war or national danger
the young men thus trained would be
called to the colors In such numbers as
might be needed. The call would arst
cover single men and those not sup.
porting dependent relatives In all
probability IL would never be- found
necessary to call the breadstnners, FOR
with all the country's young manhood
thus trained a great defending army
could be quickly modified without
seriously disturbing the income Of
single American home,
That system Ia really the true Amer.
lean plan and gas advocated by Wash
lngton, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Mon
roe. Jackson aud other early day piesl
dents Lincoln applied IL In the later
years OF the civil war
Practically every high military adj
wiser Of the president and congress
has recently testified before the house
and senate committees that nothing
short Of universal military training Of
the eountrys youth and liability TO
compulsory service In time OF war silI
give the nation adequate and depend.
able preparedness.
The people of the Swiss republic,
ameng the most peace.loying nations
OF the earth, have such system.
Australia and New Zealand have II,
They can not understand why the
American people have not adopted IL,
declaring, with unanswerable logic,
that nation might better try 10 pro.
vide revenues for it's support by yolun.
tary payment Of taxes than 30 depend
on voluntary enlistment for It's armed
defense.
Under the proposed plan the boys
would be given physical training and
discipline Ia the public schools, aud
the young men physical and military
instruction In training camps That
would give the nation three distinct
benefits that are greatly needed:
/ Thorough preparedness a great
reserve of citizen soldiers which
would render inyaslon of our country
by foreign army impossible. II would
make further for peace by restraining
the American people themselves. Gov.
errors, congressman, editors and other
influential citizens would reflect deep.
" before advocating war II they knew
that their sons and nephews would
have to do the fighting. An influence
for peace would go out from every
freside
2 It's disciplinary influence alone
would be worth the cost and effort,
Morally the nation would be uplifted
for young men receiving the discipline
would become better sons, better heads
OF families. better citizens.
g. The physical betterment of the
race alone would BE worth many times
the cost. Consider the value TO the
individual youth Of rs or 90 Of the
searching physical examination nov
given recruits for the regular army
Consider what IL will be worth to the
young mechanic, the clerk, the railway
worker, the factory tolteF and the farms
laborer TO be- physically trained IN
school, to be examined by medical
experts without fee and TO have their
valuable advice on methods 80 over
come latent and hidden weaknesses of
the vital organs. the vision, the hear
ing. the teeth and the feet