New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-05
America on the March

II this CITY ever saw inner, more IN
spring. sight than its citizen youth on the
march Yesterday we do not know what II
was. II was the bravest of sights. 1t
was the most American Of sights. 1t was
here, as in Washington and Throughout
the nation. the outward symbol Of that re-
generation of democracy which the war is
enacting before our eyes and within the
heart Of each of US.
Beside il every other contribution to the
war by the country went into the back
ground. Not only the preciousness OF the
sift, not only its magnitude, captured the
thought. Beyond each personal sacrifice,
beyond the half-laughing, half-solemn
strength of young faces set to new and
norilous task, stood the goal and meaning
Of il all-the America we have loved and
hoped for in dull days and dark, the Amer
lea that was a gallant ideal, somewhere
smouldering in the heart Of each OF u.s.
however we or our neighbors or our city
or our generation might for time be-
tray it.
There have been countless misunder-
standings with respect to this citizen army
chosen by draft. 1t has been assimilated
in some minds to those conscript forces OF
the past which marched unwillingly for a
cause of which they knew little and cared
less. There was a fear in some quarters
that some stigma, a relic Of this different
CONSUMPTION of other days, would attach to
these soldiers who waited to be called.
We think these misunderstanding are
vanishing before the truth. No one could
stand in the crowds on Fifth Avenue yes
terdav and watch both cheerers and
cheered without feeling the deep, devoted
patriotism of the whole scene. No one
could fail to comprehend the splendid
spirit in which the whole unfamiliar and
colossal labor of selective draft had been
undertaken and carried through by every
one upon whom a burden and response
bility was placed. The old notion Of a
driven conscript force has been laid away
for all time.
Perhaps the least understanding criti-
cism of the draft was the cry Of Stacker"
that arose when the first claims Of eXemp-
ton were filed. There were a few real
slackers, to be sure, here and there, in
every class and race and district. But
they were the rare exception. The ma
chinery Of the draft, the whole theory of
its plan, demanded a statement of eXemp-
ton claims by every citizen possessing
49,, Nv boe;c raalOy for ,,p;yers al cor
vice is that it prevents needless and ex
pensive sacrifices and places the burden Of
war where it bears lightest, fitting, more
or less roughly, each individual citizen into
the post where he can render the maxi
mum of service.
We think that, broadly speaking, this
chief aim of the draft has been carried
into execution with amazing fairness and
intelligence. Injustices have crept in.
Some have been brought to public atten-
ton by protest. More have been accepted
H. silence and without rancor by men and
families who realized the difficulties of
heir country's situation and willingly &C
~spted the extra burden placed upon them
80 mood of haggling over the precise cost
= sacrifice has prevailed. A spirit of CO.
operation between the drafted men and
the boards has made possible this rounded
completion of a task which seemed at the
outset almost beyond human ability. The
devoted work which members of the eX-
emption boards have given will rank as
one Of the very considerable sacrifices Of
the war. With the scantiest exception, it
has been undertaken in a spirit Of gen
crosby and sympathy with fixed resolve
t. do justice by individual and by nation.
Seldom has any group OF men undertaken
a more difficult problem-or more alb
sorbing one The whole nation, not an
abstract entity, but so many millions Of