The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-02-02
Especial Correspondence

providing for compulsory military
training in the high schools of this
state would bring a condition of great
discord and autocracy into the
schools, was the contention of organ
lied labor at a hearing on the bill
held before the committee on military
affairs in the house chamber Monday
night.
School boards, school teachers, la
Dor leaders, farmers representing the
State Grange, ministers of the gospel,
and many others were present to pro-
test against the introduction of mill
tarism into our democratic American
school system.
The following preamble and reso-
luton upon the subject, adopted by a
unanimous vote of the Washington
State Federation of Labor convention
at Everett last week, were read and
presented to the committee as organ
4 lied labor's position on this question;
Whereas, A bill (House Bill No. 81
l. providing for compulsory military
training for all boys physically fit in
the high schools of this state, has
been introduced in the state legisla-
ture, and
Whereas, Compulsory military
training has no rightful place in our
public schools, we enumerate the fol-
lowing as being some of the reasons
WHY this bill should not be enacted
into law:
~ 1t would bring discord into
the schools, in that it would meet with
bitter opposition from all who are
- conscientiously opposed to compul-
sorv military training, and would
mean expulsion for all students who
would refuse to comply, if not arrest
and Imprisonment for the students,
while the parents would be subject
ed to punishment by fines, thus Great
ing no end of i'll feeling and discord.
(2) Military training once intro
duced into our schools would soon be
seized upon by those interests whose
craze for militarism is Unsuitable, and
they would urge it on and on to the
exclusion of the better purposes OF
our school system, and thus our boys
would be deprived of much that the
schools could otherwise legitimately
give them, and indeed already their
school hours are crowded with the
& different courses of instruction.
(3) The time spent in military drill
under such law might better be
devoted to proper physical training,
both in the gymnasium and in the
omen air, a training that would be
omen to all students and especially
DESIGNED for the better physical de-
velopement of the weaker students,
= whereas this bill proposes military
training only for the physically fit"
, which falls far short of the school
requirements and exposes the fact
that the training proposed is for mill
tarism's sake alone and not really
concerned about the development of
those who need proper physical train
ing.
(4) Military training of young boys
under military instructors, who would
he men almost essentially imbued with
= the military idea, would most as
suredly breed the military spirit,
which in itself is the surest guarantee
of wars. and thing which the best
educational thought, not alone of the
state of Washington, but OF the whole
nation. should be directed.
(5) Our highest ideal should be to
stand for the ushering in of the day
Of universal peace-a day in which in
!, ternational questions may be settled
NV constructive, civilized methods, in
stead Of the destructive, barbarous
methods of the brute struggle; and
20 do this all educational institutions
should be directed away from the
boreful influence of the military
spirit
(6) The psychology of military
>Ntraining is opposed to every theory
Of American democracy, and the en-
actment of compulsory military train
inr would be a great step backward
for its effect is to train out of men
their individual initiative and culti-
vate the spirit of submission.
() Whatever of military training
tbe country may feel is needful should
come with more advanced years.
when the minds of men reach more
: mature development and are able to
receive instruction in military drill
~ the manual of arms with the least
danger of being influenced by the
military spirit. The freshmen class
o,+aring high school is composed of