Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-11-30
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
Number -Four
Military Training Nceessary for Safety
and Defense.


ME and have been looking up abont
war ia the encyclopedia at sehool Ne
found that in the war between Ger
many and France IN 1s70-71, Germany
lost in Killed and wounded $500 SCI.
dlers while France lost about six times
us many. and besides thar. she lost
every battle. We asked Professor Sic
cum Why this was. lie said that TIE
German army was highly trained and
ably commanded. whlle the French
soldiers were poorly trained; and that
their war department Wns honey
combed with jealousy and politics;
that the officers were not much coed.
and that's why France lost tie war
and 50 many men. What do you think
about K, Uncle Danf~
"We1,p said Uncle Dan, Professor
Slocum il right. Il lHefflclency France
lost TINT war. together With tgo of
her best proYinces-Alsace and Lor-
raine-and had 10 pay billion dol
lars Indemnity money. france today
learned her lesson by thai sad expe-
Renee, SO she put Ia universal military
training. and as q result. her soldiers
now know how to fight aad how to
protect themselves. They are losing
less inen In the war than the Germans
France also put politics out OF her war
department. 80 that expert authority.
instead OF bureaucratic stupidity, now
directs tie army. The result !.
France has one OF the best and most
Efficient armies every assembled. aud
this shows what thorough training and
good leadership means In warfare.
This saved France Ia this crisis. as
well "a the liberties of the world"
AS war n now conducted. there Is
no place for an unframed man. 4
body OF 10000 well trained soldiers
properly handled could defeat I've
tines their number % raw fecruiis nnd
DO IL every tiIoc with comparatively
small loss 70 themselves. Proper train
Ing alone vii reduce the death and
casualty rnte one-uiird az what Il 9th
erwlse would be, and right here IL an
unaaswcrsbo argument for universal
military training.
"our government has no moral right
20 force her men into war service
without properly training thcin for IL.
To do so Is simply murder. hence the
frantic effort that Is now being made
TO give her soldiers some training be-
fore they are sent 10 tie front. II We
are To win this war. 1, alil take trained
men 10 do II. and Il Nin take tEnia.si
men TO win any other wGr that NAY
core upon as Ia the fusnre- II ws
must 1ght. let us nght 10 wig and not
to lnae.-
THAT'S tho stun.- said Billie.
Continuing. Uncle Dan said: "oar
government has expended about $780,
100000 70 put up canionDents and
training sfntions II order 10 train the
men called By the selective draft
When thcse men arc trained the ,rain-
sng stations should be Immediately
flied with younger men. say those In
their nineteenth year. TO receive SIX
months OF Intensive military train
Ing along the LIMOS Of tie Chamberlain
b.ll This will be OF imneasnrable
benefit TO them individually. IL win
90 them more good than any other two
years Of tholr whole life; II VIII make
them strong. manly. self.rcilan;. quick
10 see and quick TO act: IT VIII equip
them for a successful lifo. Ia short,
II VIII rebuild American manhood and
VIII also give the government Il body
Of trained nen 20 draw from Ia case
II Is necess ary TO defend our hag and
country. We must settle this question
OF universal military training lmme-
llaiely, otherwise these training camps
may be demolished. The adoption OF
universal military training win be no.
tee 10 tile world that from then on
we viii DO prepared TO defend our
selves promptly and efficiently. and
this viii do more TO keep rs out OF
war In the future than anything else
We could do
do you think, brother" said Mrs.
Graham. that there will ever be an
other WARP
Il have no doubt about H." said
Uncle Dan. $50 long IS men are
selfish. so long as nations are ambl-
tiogs 10 acquire territory, so long az
population presses and demands moro
room, so long as thofe remains q
scraInille for world trade-so long wars
will he. When the time comes that
we reach the high plane for which we
hope and dream, when all v'iil recog.
nIze the fatherhood of God and tho
brotherhood Of man. then. and then
only, VIII wars cease. When that day
comes doors will need no locks, banks
will need no vaults to protect their
treasures, but that day Is long way
off.
1.-THE only safe and sane plan is to
DO able 10 defend ourselves at all
times. Therefore. every citizen shorld
insist that senator's and congressman
shall provide for universal military
training, so that never again shall the
country be caught so completely un.
ready as this war found US. For
tunatcly, In this case. our enemy has
been held back. so we have had few
months IN which TO prepare. This al.