The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-12-06
NATION RELIES
ON VOLUNTEERS
Efforts to Secure Compulsory
Military Service win Fall.
PEOPLE OPPOSED TO STEP
Even National Guard Will Find Diff
culties In Recruiting to Full Strength
After Border Mobilix ation-President
Ready to Move Toward Peace When
Favorable Moment Arrives.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

80 ~ We EaNG WV 4
Favorable Moment Arrives.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington. Dec. G-[SpeciaLl-Ef
forts to secure compulsory military
service will be made during the SEES
sion, but will be unavailing In times
of peace. If a war was raging and the
nation was I'm danger then almost any
thing might be done, but to compel
men to serve either In the army or
navy when the country Is at peace.
save for the desultory affair on the
Mexican border, is asking more than
congress will grant, or the people will
stand. Having just closed a campaign
In which the presidency was carried on
tho peace issue-carried by votes of
women who were satisfied because
their husbands, sons, brothers and
sweethearts were not engaged In war
1t would be absurd for the victorious
party to try to put through n law
which would compel those husbands,
sons, brothers and sweethearts to EN-
ter the military service. 1t will not be
done.
Had Examples Enough.
The members of congress have had
examples enough. They have had trou-
bles galore In trying to get men out of
the national guard service who We're
sent to the Mexican border. They
rncuy that N Jfota cta for mil{tarx Sorv
ice now pervades this country. Ii will
be impossible to get the national guard
regiments recruited to their full quota
hereafter. because men will not want
to be brought into national service
without their consent, as was the case
when they were sent to the border.
As for the regular army, there will be
the same difficulty In getting recruits
as heretofore.
Lack Of Confidence.
most people lack confidence in the
pact" or whatever II may have been,
that was agreed to at Atlantic City be-
tween American and Mexican repre-
sentatives. So far IL has been impos-
sible to secure anything from Carran-
IN looking to the protection Of Ameri-
cans In Mexico, and it Is not to be sup
posed that he will finally consent to an
arrangement that means the protection
OF the American border. Restriction
OF the bandits Is not chubby" among
Mexican leaders.
Philippine Agitation Ends.
A Democratic congress having decid.
ed not to carry out the declaration in
-four Democratic platforms to give the
Fflipinos Independence 1t Is considered
that agitation along that line might
end. Although the senate passed a bill
Tor free Filipinos the house with a
large Democratic majority would not
concur. The legislation which vas en-
acted will prove a very good thing IL
1t ends all talk OF Independence. Ger
tainly the sentiment in congress Is that
nothing more should be done i'm the way
OF agitating the Philippine question.
President Wilson Ready.
AT the very first opportunity Presi-
dent Wilson is ready to offer the war
ring powers his assistance to end the
war, but the president realizes that any
such offer at this time would be an af-
front to either side. All peace talk
seems to be simply an expression of de-
sire that the war will end without any
real reason to believe that it is going to
end. Certainly our administration has
no information indicating that the
great struggle has reached a stage
where either side can accept peace
proffers except on terms humiliating to
the other. 1t looks as IL the war must
go on for a long time.
Looks Like Wasted Activity.
Members OF congress are at a loss to
understand the energy and activity of
the women ~suffragists at this time.
why they are getting so much publici-
ty In the papers and gathering in such
numbers to make what is called al
assault on congress" to secure the fed
eral amendment for suffrage.
1t is we'll understood that ever II a
vote could be taken the federal amend
ment would not pass. The Republicans
are lukewarm where they were once
n earnest because they say the won
en- defeated the Republican national
ticket In the suffrage states last month.
The Democrats may be more friendly.
but that does not mean votes for the
amendment And SO the question is
asked. Why the intense agitation?
Splitting Hairs.
Much time has been given in the
railroad hearing to the constitutional
questions involved between the federal
government and the states. The law
yers like to split hairs on constitutional
questions. Hours were spent over the
question as to whether a government
Incorporated railroad would have any