Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-03-16
(From the Spokane Spokesman
Reyiew.)

IUio pIOUloNl III OTO0O COmOr6.
hension, or, II he has grasped II,
lacks tho resolution to tackle il
with needed vigor and courage.
At best the administrations
program Is of doubtful feasibility.
Our highest military authorities
fear it. and national guard lead
ers are against 1t.
Would Undermine Guard.
The prevailing judgment of its
members is against the admins
tratlon program, and Secretary
Garrison finds it difficult to win
them over to support his program.
They fear that his proposed "con-
tinental army" would undermine
the existing militia system Of the
nation and later bread down it,
self, thus leaving the country
with less preparedness than ever.
The chief defect in the volun-
tcer system is its constant un-
known quantity. 1t is like an ar
royo course Of the desert-swol-
len at rare intervals to torrential
volume. only to run dry after q
brief period Of flood action, with
long draught, when its supply is
most needed.
The Administrations plan de-
ponds on a volunteer response
that will be large and continuous.
With each recurring year, perpet-
ually, $4,000 new recruits must
come voluntarily forward to make
it a success. Secretary Garrison
himself frankly admits that t.
will require a double volunteer
spirit-from the young men who
are to come forward every year
to keep it going, and from their
employers, who would be exA
pected to give the plan their un-
tagging encouragement by re-
leasing employees, holding jobs
open for their return and con-
tinuing them, in whole OF in part,
on the regular payroll.
Volunteer system Unjust.
No plan Of adequate national
defense. it SENS certain, can ever
be built on uncertainties like that.
Tho admiMstrati6n's plan is
neither dependable nor just. AS
Congressman Humphrey we'll
says: 1T is not fair to the cour-
ageous to go forth to death while
hte towards stay at home and are
saved"
The volunteer method is
shamefully unjust. In moments
of great national peril public
sentiment, keyed up to grateful
appreciation, goes into a frenzy
OF hero worship. The boys who
volunteer become objects Of
alteration and march away to
their country's bloody work with
the youthful delusion that the
passing wave of popular admira-
tion will roll on forever.
But all history teaches that
nothing is more inconsistent than
public gratitude for its defend
ers. When the fighting Is over
new interests arise, old emotions
subside and the youth who stayed
at home in ease and safety finds
that his social status is substan-
TALLY as high as that Of the VOL
unteer, and his material prog
ress apt to be considerably bet
ter. /
The Swiss system is free from
that injustice. 1t trains every
youth in ways that are beneficial
to the boy and strengthening to
The nation. When strikes the
hour Of national peril there is no
discrimination, no favors. Only
one question is asked, us he
physically 1T to do his duty-to
bear his rifle and go out to de-
fend his home, his mother, his
sisters or his wife against the in
vader?" The rich mans son and
the poor mans boy march side by
side, comrades in q common duty
and common purpose.
Mould Insure Against lnvasIon.
With such system the United
States would have q known, am
pie and definite reserve army.
The world would know that from
the ranks Of industry this nation
could call within forty-eight
hours several million young men
who had been trained to handle
Q rifle, to shoot, to march to
obey and be obeyed, to take care
of themselves in camp and on the
firing line.
With such a reserve behind the /
long shore line where is the ma
lion, however aggressive, mil
itaristic, commercially greedy or
automatically intolerant. that
would yet have the reckless spirit
TO attempt invasion of the United