The Washington herald., 1916-01-24
BY T.. Il. JOHNS.

To the efforts of George Hewitt Myers,
of Washington. d. G.. secretary OF the
ARMY League and delegate to the Ma
tional Security League, Is due the in
auguration of a movement. the purpose
of which is the establishment of coun-
ell OF national defense, with headquar-
ters at Washington. This committee or
council is to be composed of representa-
tives OF every national defense society,
and through 1t the work of all is to be
organized and CO-ordinated.
Not only the National Security League,
the Army League. the Navy League, the
National Defense League, the Red Cross
Society, but all commercial and business
organizations that are interested in ma
tiOnal defense will be asked to come into
the new general organization. The new
council will be built up from the confer
ence committee on national preparedness
which has been in existence for over a
year The committee is to be enlarged
and its headquarters moved from New
York to Washington.
For some time 1t has been realized by
the advocates of national preparedness
that the different organizations were not
working in harmony and that sooner or
later there might be some friction which
would have disastrous effect upon the
cause. While a great many of those who
have been active in the movement ac-
knowledged this no active steps were
taken toward harmonizng the different
organizations until the opening of the
National Security League congress last
week Then Mr.. Myers took up the work
and was busy early and late interview
ing prominent delegates from every sec
ton. He found that most OF them took
the same< view of the situation that he
did and all of them were ready to support
the movement which resulted in the pas
sage of a resolution which was prepared
by Mr. Myers.
Under the direction OF the new confer
ence committee it is expected that all
of the national defense organizations
will rally to the support of one compre-
hensive program for the increase in the
strength of the army and navy.
The delegates to the National Security
Congress indicated a. the first reference
by President S. Stanwood Menken TO
equal military service that they would
be satisfied with nothing less than a
resolution indorsing this system of rails
ing citizen soldiers. Throughout the ad-
dresses every reference to placing mill
tary service on the basis of a duty was
greeted with prolonged applause.
This shows a radical change in the
sentiment Of the advocates of prepared
ness. Early in the movement the ma
jority of the leaders were urging an in
crease in the regular army and navy
with an Indefinite idea of securing trained
citizen soldiers. Very few saw the weak
nesses of the volunteer system, and many
of them were violently opposed to any
radical change in our military policy. 1t
was generally believed that equal mill
tary service amounted to militarism. and
the popular belief was that Germany was
the only country with a universal mill
tary service system.
But the public began to ask the question
why Switzerland had not been invaded
when II would have a greater STRAIT
egical advantage to Germany than Bel
GUM. The answer came that Switzer-
land. although republic. has universal
military training and service. Later, IL
dawned upon those who have been study
ing the European war that France, with
her universal military service. is holding
over 400 miles Of the battle front, while
England with her volunteers was not
holding 50 miles. Following this, Eng
land was forced to resort to compulsory
military system. and now practically all
advocates of national preparedness are
Funited In advocating some form of uni
versai service for the United States, Tbs