Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-27

auce: navy trained at every poiAl
with the sole purpose Of making 1t the
most formidable possible instrument OF
war the moment that war comes;
navy. the mismanagennent OF which
shall be treated as capital offense
against the nation. In the next place,
we need a small but highly efficient
regular army, of say a quarter million
men; an army where provision is made
for a certain proportion of the promo
lions to be by merit, instead of merely
seniority; an army of short-term SOL
diers, better paid than at present; and
an army which, like the navy. shall be
under the guidance OF a general staff.
Moreover. every year there should be
at one time field maneuvers OF from
| fifty to one hundred thousand men, so
that the Army Commander. the Corps
! Commanders, the Division, Brigade
and Regimental Commanders, who
would have to face a foe at the out
break of war, would all have had ex-
perience in performing their duties. I'M
der actual field conditions. in time Of
peace.
i Hay Bill Foolish
The events of the last summer have
shown that the Hay Bill was as foolish
and unpatriotic a bit of filntlock legis-
lation as was ever put on the statute
book. l have the greatest admiration
and respect for the individual militia
men who went to the border. But the
system under which they were sent
worked rank injustice to most OF them,
rank favoritism for some OF them, and
was worse than ineffective from the
national standpoint. 1t is folly, and
worse than folly, to pretend that the
National Guard is an efficient second
line of defense. Remember also that
the laws passed nominally for the bet
terment of the regular army and navy
are producing almost no result. The
delays in building the ships are extra
ordinary. The shortage OF enlisted men
in the navy and army is appalling, nor
is it being made good. 1t cannot
wholly be made good under the volun-
teen system. But much could be
done. Our first care should be to make
the navy and the regular army thor
oughly efficient
: But this is not enough. To trust
only to the Navy and the regular Army
amounts merely to preparing to let the
other men do it. If we ordinary
citizens are fit to be citizens Of this
country, we shall fit ourselves to defend
this country. No man has right to
citizenship in democracy If, for any
cause whatsoever, he is unwilling to
fight, or is morally or mentally incap-
able of fighting, for the defense of that
democracy against a powerful alien ag-
gressor If a man is physically unfit
but is right in his soul and in his head,
then he can render high service to the
nation although incapable Of bearing
arms. But, if from any moral or men
tai causes, he is unwilling to train him
self to bear arms, and to bear them If
necessary in his country's cause. then
he has no moral right to vote.
A Navy Nexs to Brtain's
Be it remembered that such nation
al armed force as that for which I ask.
while very powerful for defense would
be almost useless for aggression.
wish to see our Navy second only to
that Of Great Britain. because Great
Britain is the only power whose naval
needs are greater than ours. / do not
ask that our Army become second, or
1 anywhere near second, to Germany's,
because Germanys military needs are
far greater that ours; but merely that
relatively to our size our Army be made
to correspond to that of Switzerland
This would mean that for the last
two or three years Of school our boys
would have some military training. sub
stantially such as is given in the Swiss
| and Australian schools; and that at
, about the age Of nineteen they would
spend six months in actual service in
the field Cor at sea with the fleet) with
the colors, and would thereafter for
three or four years be required to spend
a couple of weeks each year with the
colors. Each year, among those who
had served we'll for the six months,
number could be chosen to be trained a
officers. These would then be given by
the nation for two years, free, train
ing somewhat like that at West Point
although not as rigid or as thorough
They would be required to pay for this
training by, for a certain number of
months during each of the few follow
ing years doing their part in drilling
the recruits of that year. 1t would
: cruits a small minimum wage so as to
be sure that tile poorest family would
not suffer hardship because of the alb
Sence of the young man for six months.
No man would be allowed to purchase
/ exemption. The sons Of the richest
/ men in the land would have to serve
! exactly like anyone else and do exactly
/ the same work-which, incidentally,
would be bit of uncommon good for
tune for them.
Industrial Preparation Also
| Side by side with this preparation of
the manhood of the country must go the
! preparation Of it's resources. The Gov
eminent should keep a record of every
factory or work shop Of any kind which
would be called upon to render service
in war and of all the railroads. All the
workers in such factories and railroads
should be tabulated so that in the event
of war they would not be sent to the
front if they could do better service
where they wcs'e-although as far as
possible every strong man should De
sent to the front, to the position of dam
ger, while work done in safety should
be done by women and old men. The
transportation system should receive
special study. Factories which would