The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-04-30
OUR MILIT AIRY
POLICY
(continued From Page EigRe.)

ANASA-S@--N~eA /
lie to render them, in the eyes Of
competent military critics, strictly
'sfirst line troops" Two bills are now
Ia conference, In congress; the senate
bin increases the regular army to
100000 men-the increase to be made
IA equal increments extending over
five years; provides federal pay for
the organized militia; authorizes the
president to organize and train a
volunteer army; and provides for
various officers and students reserve
corps. The house bill increases the
regular army to 100000 men Tin four
years.; pays and federalizes the mill
tie; but omits the provisions for a
volunteer army. Doubtless a COM
promise win be effected. Nobody !
knows or pretends to know how this
legislation will work out; nobody, |
not even members of the congress-
icnal committees having the matter
IN hand, can estimate how many
trained men the proposed law viii
provide. AS congress has not in
creased the pay offered to enlisted
men, there are many who doubt
whether sufficient desirable recruits
WIZ be forthcoming to fill the ranks
to the authorized strength. At best
the increase viii not be completed
blntl after four or five years have
elapsed.
Compulsory Training.
Personally, believe that the ulti-
mate solution of this matter will be
found by the United States adopting
the policy now enforced In every
other great republic, and In every
great world power, except England.
(The events of the last two years
have proved that England would
have done well to have had the same
policy. ] mean compulsory military
training for all our youth. There are
many systems in use, but the Aus
ITALIAN system particularly, appeals
70 ms. We have now, in every state,
compulsory schooling. Why not ex-
tend those laws, as the Australians
have done, to include compulsory
military training? Briefly, their sys-
tenn is: At age Of II, the boys be-
gin military gymnastics; from ID to
Is, they are enrolled in cadet COM
panies; from 10 to Is they pass into
the citizen forces, or, as we would
say, militia An average of about
So hours per week of instruction and
practical work is required. Last sum-
tner sat at dinner with Sir Alfred
SDealin, ex-prime minister of Aus
tralia. He informed me that this
system Of compulsory training had
been In vogue since 1909; that It had
grown immensely popular; that a
great Improvement in the physique
and character Of the young men of
the colony was already noticeable,
including q great reduction in vener-
cal and other diseases, most prevail
emit youth; and that there had been
a noteworthy diminution in crime, as
each cadet was trained to look upon
himself as in duty bound to see that
the laws of the Commonwealth were
enforced.
Not Popular idea.
/ know that this idea is now not
popular, but I believe it to be funda-
mentally sound. That every citizen
owes not only taxes, but his person
al services TO the nation in time of
need, and should be reuired to fit
himself so that those services would
be of value when the state summons
him. It is the fair, democratic meth
cd, of securing citizen army worth
while. It would develop the self-re-
lance and physique of youth, teach
them traits Of neatness and punctual.
ity, and instil reverence for the
flag and respect for authority now
sadly lacking in many instances.
But whatever, my friends, its ul
innate solution, beg 70 assure yoy
that this question of preparedness j,
no mercenary question, agitated BY
mqpition makers and professions
soldiers, as certain pacificists would
have you believe, but it is a real, live
vitality important matter, that mus
be settled if we are to forge ahead
asa nation and carry out our mani
fest destiny as the Greatest Republi,
ON earth.