The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-12-20

schools Is along the lines adopted In
European countries. General Scott
| implies this much General Leonard
Wood is quoted as having declared
that If he had his way he would out
German the Germans and teach every
boy to shoot"
Up to date, New York is alone in
having compulsory training, although
| California and some other states have
] introduced modified forms of mill
tary training. The wyoming system"
was widely heralded a year ago.
Those who object to compulsory mill
itary training do so upon this ground
that it is sought to perpetuate through
/ it, militaristic spirit, and a desire
for war, in the minds of the young.
| They assert, in opposition to compul-
sorry military instruction, that the
spirit of patriotism can be better adj
vanced by instructing the youth re-
garding the higher ideals of citizen
ship, and in teaching them fundamen-
| tai principles of government that will
succeed without the necessary of pro
viding the military spirit, which they
claim usually ends in war.
A special commission appointed by
The state of Massachusetts found
unanimous testimony for the need OF
greater physical training, but declared
that: '"The military spirit which means
blind faith in the doctrine of forse, is
perhaps the most vicious idea which
could be instilled in a child's mind
At the national convention Of the
Woman's Peace Party held in Wash
!, ington few days ago, the spirit of
anti-mlitarism was voiced to the
up among the boys is ito live for their
country; not to die for it." The Amer
lean Federation of Labor has recently
gone on record as unanimously OPP
posed to compulsory military training
The best thought of militarists, and
anti-militarists, appears to be agreed
upon the need of a greater amount OF
physical trainingfi for the youth of the
country. There is, however, opposi-
ton from every quarter, to the plans OF
the army AMI navy chiefs, under whose
system, it is claimed, men become
brainless followers in automatically
"obeying orders" The Imagination
of the boy of the country has been cap
tured by appeals to, their patriotism
and by their own. conscious need OF
physical training. Mrs. Lucia Ames
Mead, a distinguished Boston woman
: observes: Military drill does not
teach self-contro1 in obedience to con-
: science, but only obedience through
7 fear. Soldiers, when mustered out
) are no more chaste, temperate or or
) derby than other men. Self-control
personal responsibility, the power to
: reason why must be taught as the
republics truest defense" The warn
, ing has gone forth that the National
! Security League has prepared bills tc
be sent to the different legislatures
| which if adopted in whole or in sub
stance, will turn the public schools
into army and navy training camps.
1t is claimed in behalf of the Boy
/, Scout movement that it secures every
physical advantage to the youth tina,
is claimed in behalf of the military
drills urged by the aristocracy that
dominates the army and navy. At the
same time. the Boy Scouts are taught
all the finer qualities of citizenship
including the essential point of being
helpful to others. Moreover, the de-
velopment Of the mind is considered
equally important to that of strength
ening the muscles of the body and legs
1t is contended by thoughtful students
of the subject that an attempt is being
made to capture the idealism Of the
youth, and utilize it for the purposes
of an idealism Of destruction, adapted
OF the ideas of insistent military en-
thusiasts
Mrs. Ella Flag Young, noted Chi
cago educator, declares it to be the
duty of America to teach its boys and
girls not how to mete out death on the
battlefield, but rather to point ou
and provide methods for their indi-
| vidual development--and through them