The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-09-08
dow the Wilson
Administration Has
PendliZed Patriotism

Having In view the possibility Of
further aggression upon the territory
Of the United States from Mexico and
the necessity for the proper protec-
ton of that frontier" President VIII
son. ON June l8. called out the mobile
arms OF the National Guard for federal
service.
existing peace strength. but at war
strength. which Is practically double.
Lacking . system Of reserves, the
National Guard organizations immedi-
ately had to start a campaign OF re-
cruitiDg. to bring about the desired In
crease In their numbers.
Patriotic young citizens, under the
urge OF the cry, your country needs
you," volunteered for service in graft
tying numbers. According to Senator
Chamberlain. chairman OF the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs. the re-
suit is that about 1885, 900 citizen SOL
Hers have been mustered into the
federal service and are now on the
Mexican border or in camp in their
acme states. There may be more. but
The administration refuses to make
Known the exact figures.
The movement is costing the public
treasury many millions OF dollars: II
costing the individual citizen SOL
Hers many millions more. They went
% the front believing the cry. "Your
county,. needs you" for war service.
They sacrificed advancement in their
,ivn occupations. severed home ties.
suffered, In thousands of instances,
great financial loss. The less pa
.riotic. who did not believe the cry. or
believing. declined to make sacrifices.
.atten at homo on these losses.
The real purposes OF the call are
slowly developing. They are two in
number:
First, . patrol OF the border to do
the work which President Wilson's
friend. Carranza, finds it Impossible
| to do. Because the recognized govern.
| ment in Mexico Is too ineffective to
| keep its own citizens In check and
! prevent them numbering Americans
on American soil. the American gov
eminent undertakes the costly task Of
doing that work for them. The muir
der OF American citizens on Mexican
soil Is another matter. Carranza may
60 as far as he likes In that direction
Second. purpose of the mobiliza
ton on the border and in the camps
Is to train citizens to perform effectiv,
military service. The regular military
establishment Of the nation is mani
testify too small for the actual military
needs. To this extent the cry. "Youl
country needs you," was correct.
But these facts were not made clea
when the call was issued. The ide;
was promulgated that men were need
ed for actual war service; not 70
military training. Deceit was prac
ticed.
Opposing in the open legislation 10
universal military service the admin
istration by its acts has established
what In essence is system of com
pulsory military service. II is sys
tenn all the more vicious because |
operates only against the patriotic
whereas a legalized universal training
system equalizes the burden of mill
tary service among all men and al
classes OF men.
When. in 1914. Europe plunged int,
the greatest war OF all history, an
conditions in Mexico grew intolerable
intelligent men realized the fact tina
1t was incumbent on this nation t
build up its tiny regular army and pu
it's other military resources In cond
ton for use. National safety demands
this. And yet. in December OF tina
year. four months after the Europeal
war began, President Wilson went be
fore Congress and declared that al
agitation for military preparedness
was hysterical; that we were ade
quately prepared.