American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-10-26

NDlNHNNMA from tue 11N IMAiNHf0 AhAA4
with the comment that what one sees
on The streets OF San Francisco makes
one think seriously OF the necessity Tor
universal training.
Representative Kahn announces that
ne intends TO make a tight for %univer-
sal training al the next session OF
congress.
Mr. Kahn bases his contention for
the necessity of a universal training
law upon the act that so per cent OF
the American boys chosen by the draft
have been rejected for physical dis
ability
Every true American who has the
interest OF his country and OF his race
az heart should stand behind Mr..
Kahn when he introduces the unlver-
sal training law al the mex session.
and stand behind that law. not only
in sympathy and understanding. but
with energetic and practical determin-
alton.
The record OF go per cent rejected
means IN good, plain English that six
out OF every ten OF our American
young men between the ages OF 81 aud
~ are so deficient physically that they
can not be passed for service by a
United States army surgeon.
II this does not show a need for
some kind OF physical training and
physical regeneration. what "a show
III
And what public and systematic plan
for such regeneration could there
possibly be which can compare In any
way. even theoretically, or practically
with the plan OF universal training?
We have In this age made many
marvellous and almost soul stirring
discoveries.
As an Instance OF this. Il Is only
necessary to remember that In last
Thursdays newspaper there vas
printed a dispatch from Washington
outlining a plan for sending a fleet
Of a%eroplanes to Germany. which took
II for granted that such a fleet could
cross the ocean within sixty hours
and not one editor refused to publish
a for fear Il might be considered
manifestly absurd.
We people the air. we tunnel be.
meath the earth. and we have organ
lied great fleets OF craft which sail
AZ the bottom Of the sea.
Electricity. the great discovery
which was hailed Is aomething almost
miraculous a few years ago.ia already
being discussed as of something of
hygone importance.
The new discoveries claim q motive
power which viii furnish not only
energy. but heat and light. and do Il
with the simple aid OF something
which exists now and has always
existed IN absolutely unestimable
quantities "a the very air WI breathe.
We have conquered the winds and
made a slave OF thte lightning.
We have h%arnessed the thunder and
hitched The very waves of the ocean
20 draw the chariot wheels OF our
progress but Ia the meantime. what
az ourselves?
Are we improving as fast as our
inventiOns9
What kind OF a race are We breed
ms 20 live IN a world controlled by
these emi-miraculous agencies which
we have bent TO our VIII?
What viii Il an profit us n, Ia the
excitement aud triumph and ease and
luxury OF modern life. our race deter
iorates'
The old tale Of Aladdin and his
onderful lamp proved 10 be an ami
able monster and one willing deftly TO
serve his mastor-but Aladdin him
sef-what did he amoun 10 without
the eenil7
Are we. In our boasted twentieth
eratury. just beginning 10 stammer
over aguin the ancient story which
has been told and retold since the dim
beginnings of history
a and The flood. Babylon and the
tai. Rome and the decline. Greece and
the decadence, viii some future his
iorian write OF the year 1917 that In
that year the American people began
20 realize the creeping fate which
oyertakes and has oyertaken SO many
nations, and resigned itself TO that
fate without a struggleg
Or viii the historian write that our
new knowledge and our advanced in
~telllgence warned us IA time and that
We took the warning before Il was too
late and did not wait for another race
70 populate and regenerate our coun-
try. but went to work with Intelligence
and energy and %regenerated our
selves
For years the thoughtful among us
have observed a thousand signs which
pointed every one of them-one way
II is not for nothing that the higf
school records show hat in the las
ten years the average high school bog