Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-09
PHYSICAL Examination for Service.

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Physical Examination for Service.
Whether it is better at the outset to
put the standards very high and take
only the flower Of the nation, which
probably gives the greatest military
efficiency, or to relax the physical re-
ouire ments and put more stress on
economic considerations is probably
question not susceptible OF a general
answer Policy in such a matter must
depend to a great extent upon the
war. The shorter and more violent 1t
is the more important it becomes to
get the most vigorous and healthy
youths into the field at once, even if 1t
risks racial deterioration through
elimination of the fit On the other
hand in a war which is to be settled
by economic endurance rather than by
victories in the field, general principles
would point rather to a lax physical
examination but a rigorous exemption
OF all who could contribute more as
producers than as private soldiers
In this country, the case is some
what complicated by the fact that we
have entered the war SO late. 1t Is
highly improbable, for example, that
We shall have to develop for the army
the full man power of the nation as
the principal European belligerents
are systematically doing, even to rob-
bling both the cradle and the grave to
find possible soldiers. Our distance
from the area Of hostilities and the
difficulty Of maintaining vast army
overseas naturally puts more stress on
quality than on quantity, and While
tests should, of course, not be OF
fancy sort, such as the king OF Prus-
STA should employ for his guards
it is entirely proper that the physical
examinations should be. as they are
rather stringent. 1t is important IN
view OF the difficulty of maintaining
an army in France, that the percen-
tage of invalids permanently or tenn
porarily In hospitals should be kept
as small as possible. But, Of course,
examinations on such a basis give no
measure Of the proportion of men
that could actually be used in the
army in case of need. and too much
stress ought not to be put upon the
percentage Of reflections. Whether the
termined till the results are all in and
have been subjected to a rigorous
physical analysis by medical statisti-
eians.-Springfeld Republican.
Entering the war at a time when
hundreds Of school boys are being
CAPTURED In German trenches. and at
a time when every days engagements
reveal the superiority of the man and
gun power Of the combined English
ana French forces over Germany, is it
not reasonable to suppose that physi-
cal examination Of Americas financial
forces carries more weight in central
equipped ten million men?
No group Of men outside Of Germany
knows better the task Of sending a
half million men and equipment across
the Atlantic, and the equally ire
nendous task Of maintaining military
equipment and food and hospital sup
plies for those men so far from home
And the knights Of Prussianism know
that every ship used in the transpor-
tation OF American soldiers and their
support reduces by that much that
which England and France need more
food.
The moral effect of a few thousands
OF Americas best soldiers, their num-
eers unknown to the enemy and per-
haps greatly exaggerated in the eyes
OF Gernlany's war-weary fighting men,
may be worth the venture but to send
hundreds Of thousands to feed and
support so far from home should be
gravely questioned by other than war
enthusiasts.
Then let US select and drill and
educate first those best able to attain.
and later train and develop the less At
We should today consider the cues
ton, what are we to do with this
great army when peace comes as sud-
denly as war came three years ago %,
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