Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-07


consist Of all able-bodied male citizens
Of the United States and all other able
bodied males who have or shall have
declared their intention 10 become citi-
Gems Of the United States. who shall be
more than eighteen years Of age and,
except as hereinafter provided. not
more than forty.lve years OF age; and
said militia shall be divided into three
CLASSES. the National Guard the Naval
Militia and the Unorganixcd Militia
From the army reorganization law.
DOTH the Federal and the State con.
stitutions nre framed on the assump-
tion that the FIRST duty OF citizen is 20
defend his country. Every citizen is n
potential soldier. There used to be gen.
eral training day, when the males OF mill
tary age were summoned to drill. Every
such male was enrolled by the captain In
his district. and each man had to arm
himself.
I'VE have wandered so far from this
early view that there are doubtless thou.
sands OF men in Philadelphia who are not
aware that they are included in the mill
tin by law and are liable to summons to
take arms. We never think OF the
militia as including the whole male popu-
lation OF military age. We think that the
members OF the National Guard are the
only militiamen.
To the members OF the National Guard,
however. belongs the distinction OF volun-
tarily qualifying themselves TO fight
effectively when their services are needed
1t is n distinction which no one should
attempt to belittie.
The Phiiadelphians who have been on
the Mexican border for the last few
months are entitled 20 every honor
which the city can bestow on them when
they return next week. It matters not
whether the President accompanies the
purpose for which he called them out,
and It Is OF little consequence whether one
believes that he did well or III in taking
men from their business and keeping
them along the Rio Grande. The Presi-
dent is Commander.in-Chief Of the mill
tary forces OF the nation. and 1t IL not
the place Of any member OF that force to
question the orders Of his superiors. The
duty Of the soldier is to obey.
The Philadelphia troops have performed
that duty. When they parade on their
return 20 the city Broad street should
be lined with envious citizens 70 cheer
them. These men were ready for what
ever duty lay before them. They were
prepared to go into Mexico II need be
and engage In real war. That they did
not 20 is not TO their discredit. If any
man can stand on the sidewalk and watch
them march by without feeling a thrill
OF pride, even IL his eyes do not moisten
with patriotic emotion. he Is unworthy
of his citizenship.
spirit of these guardsmen the nation can
endure--the spirit that impels men 10
take up arms TO defend the national
honor and maintain the national pres
tige II is not the spirit OF militarism,
because when every citizen feels II TO be
his duty to serve as soldier and when
the officers are taken from tho ranks
there can be created nothing like the
military caste spirit that has been the
curse OF Germany. A democracy In
arms is the ideal toward which all those
who believe in national preparedness are
striving. We shall make rapid progress
In that direction when we all understand
that It is our duty to emulate these ma
tionai guardsmen and qualify ourselves
for tho responsibilities as well as the
privileges Of citizenship.