The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-03-22

How large an army we need for dc
fence against invasion is militar.
| question on which the opinion Of
professional soldier is worth NOR
than the opinion Of civilian. Thu
plan of defence reported by the wa
college division of the general staff t
the secretary of war is probably thu
best that we could adopt so long al
| we adhere to the antiqnated system
Of volunteer enlistments. Sooner OF
later we shall abandon this system
| and adopt the rule of universal mill
tary service as it exists in Switzer
land. Those who think this would BIZ
radical change ought to consider
that after all it is only giving practical
effect to the rule which existed IL
this country for many years after the
beginning of our government. Every
man of military age, not subject tc
disability, was hound on call to serve
his country as a soldier in time Of
war, and to make his service really
valuable to the nation, he was legally
bound to submit to military training
IN time OF peace. This was the purpose
of our early military laws of Switzer
land. The difference between the
two systems was simply this. In
Switzerland the military training OF
the citizen in time OF peace Is con
troued by the nation In this country
the control was left tn the hands OF
the several states Of the union.
The states neglected the duty which
they owed to the nation and our
militia system became a farce. Today
In several of the states there Is ma
tional guard well trained and partial
1,- y, II III
deserves the aid Of the general gov.
eminent, but taking the nation as a
whole, state control of the military
training of the citizen has been fail
ure. The remedy is to transfer to the
national government duty which the
state governments have been unable
or unwilling to perform This change
from state control to national controa
Is like that which has occurred in our
currency system by which the odious
state controlled bank note currency
of sixty years ago has been replaced
by a national currency. the best IN the
world.
II the nation is to control the n1l!'
tary training OF citizens, it can do so
in one or the other Of two ways. First,
1t can adopt something like the
Swiss system. Secondly, It may re-
tain the regular army, recruited oy
volunteer enlistment and use the army
for the military instruction OF citizens
who from year to year volunteer to re-
ceive It. This is the plan proposed
by the president for the training OF
the so-called continentals. It is also
q part of the plan proposed by the war
college of the army.
The secretary Of war objects to the
war college plan, saying that its cost
is prohibitiye. He seems to think
that the people Of this country are
not willing to pay the taxes necessary
for full insurance against the risk OF
invasion. Invasion does not necessar.
lily mean the subjugation Of the Unit
ed States. 1t may mean taking hostile
possession Of a part Of our territory
on the Pacific or Atlantic coast or on
the Panama canal and holding 1t to
ransom by imposing war indemnity.
That this could be done by anyone OF
several powers Of the old world con-
sidering their present armaments
and shipping and our lack Of means OF
defence is the opinion Of the war col
lege. How large an Indemnity the in
vader would impose we can only
guess. How much, for example, for
the ransom Of our Pacific coast in
Guiding the western ends Of our trans
continental railways? How much for
our northern Atlantic coast including
Boston, New York, Washington and
the eastern ends Of our principal rail-
ways? How much for the Panama ca
nal?
That It would be reckoned in hun
dreds of millions OF dollars Is prob
able. That it might be reckoned In
thousands Of millions is possible. To
drive out the invader after he has dug
himself in would cost more. To buy
him off by paying the Indemnity
would be a loss not to be reckoned
in dollars.
To insure ourselves against thta
risk, we should have to pay war de
Tense taxes including a moderate In
come tax on moderate incomes and a
larger tax on larger incomes. Th5
wealthy people of this country who
would have to pay the heavier income
tax might be glad 10 have 1t imposed.
Their motive might be patriotic. II
does not yet appear that an American
ceases to be patriotic when he be
comes a millionaire. Their motive
might be mere business sagacity like
CndL WHICH lSdlS W pay idE go
sums for the insurance Of buildings
against fire. The incomes OF wealthy
Americans are largely derived from
the rent of buildings used for indus
trial purposes, or from stocks and
bonds of railroads or other industrial
corporations. A serious interruption
| Of the free movement Of American in
dustry might cut their incomes ir
halves.
II the secretary of war is right III
supposing that the cost OF the war col
| lege plan Is prohibitive We are no
| likely to have at present an adequate
plan Of defence. We ought then II
see how much can be made out Of tbs
plan proposed by the president
which costs less than the others. How
can we best enable the regular arm!
to give military instruction each yea
to over a hundred thousand citizent
and how can we induce that number
Of citizens to volunteer to receive in
struction.