Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-01
UNIVERSAL MILITARY EDUCATION
11-i.e.eal unilitaru education is un-

Universal military education is un.
Intellixently and unjustly regarded
merely as q process of making a mar
At for nghting. 1t is a great Zeal more
than that. It would be valuable TO ina
NORMAL. peaceful life of the nation as
we'll an invaluable in time OF emery
sncy. would
Universal military education Wouio
h. . social disciplinarian. 1t woulo
bring youth early to a ma.uiiIs "
ideas of responsibility. y wo.,e , ~ -,
,olidate the conceptions OF ou'y' law
and nationality. o.,r,
American temperament Is peculiarly
adapted to receive the Denencial
effects of such education ana 10 esc1ve
all the over.emphasized dangers. W.
imagine a military ~ristocracy
arising in the United States any Mo!e
than t a be imagined arising IN
Switzerland, New Zealand, Austraia
~ Canada. We cannot imagine a mill
iarv serfdom sinking under tnls ATS
We cannot imagine the young men
- +ha United States being heeied INTO
mosses Of broken spirited conscripts.
The American psychology eliminates
this possibility. ur
Phvsically, mentally, and morally
~. vo,nr men of the nation would pc
h batter for a course OF UNI
varsally applied. We do not develop
~ a.nse Of social responsibility early
~ thi. country. Seemingly there is
~ atfactiye discipline which teaches
.,o,,th the proper relations IN wnlcn
~. individual must stand to the COM
mvr;tv That is left for experience TO
Americans can stand RECOMMENDATION.
II would be valuable Tor them 10 tnii nm,
If hixher units than Inc lhu.'luu
and to be more conscious OF mass
emotions. There is no sort OF enective
ratriotism-of q PATRIOTISM Dot.ei
than a corrupting :
u,i.hon such thought and sucn con-
Ecsr,v training and education in mill
low afrairs would promote n oe-
ua,on these ideas. The general eau
cation such as youth gets Will not 90
= hecause there is very little IN ucn
ad,,cation which is intended to brlng
ahout the proper subordination OF me
,nSiv;dual to the community. IL Is
ra4her intended to develop the indl-
Generally what is done for social
.a,,cation in the schools is done not
nv the intent Of the instructors OF the
scheme of instruction. Boys In scnool
a. .at social education, but that re-
suits from their association with eacn
other II is an important aspect Oh
education. It distinguishes the scheme
- school education from that OF PRIV
ate instruction. ..,s
~I1rixarsal military education would
.,ya this social education to all and
would give it in a distinctlveiy Demo
cratic way. We believe that the Dene-
ATS of military training would DC III
dictated in the body OF lt1zensn IN q
few wears. Restraints would e ue'
veloped earlier in the lives OF the cltl-
xena- The effects of a character FORM
inr discipline would be seen. They
would be manifest. in better ordered
ways Of society, in greater respect ,1or
law. in finer conceptions OF duty n
responsibility.
II NAV be doubted if we have now
.nv training for citizenship. We are
a"mnhasizing individualism and ego
tism We are developing ind~ividuallsm
IN a. gross, coarse, and selfish fashion.
Our patriotism is not genuine. 1t does
not think, it will not work, it will not
sacrifice. It reaches it's complete and
full expression when we stand up at
that g~rotesque moment in The
Follies" when the American flag, as
Mr.. Hammond says, waves over o
nudity than it has seen since Perry's
men striped and fought the battle OF
Lake Erie. =.
Our patriotism is sick with senti-
mentalism. 1t needs a touch of rigors
and a thought of work. The nation
needs discipline. Americans need the
thought that they are not, as the just
reward Of their inherent virtues,
grouped together in the greatest self
sustaining organization human life
ever Observation-Disclosures Tribune.
PROSPERITY THROUGH WAR.
There are some who look askance
when the statement is made that the
wal in Europe is responsible for u
present wave of prosperity. These
people do not see how the mere sale