The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-05-11
SENATOR TRAMMELL,s STATE
MENT"

Senator Trammell has sent us a
covering four pages of
closely typewriter foolscap pages
containing his grounds of opposition
to the select conscript measure which
was recently passed by congress, and
which was regarded as measure en-
dorsed and it's adoption strongly urg
ed by the president and the members
of his cabinet.
We regret that Senator Trammell's
statement is too long for our crowded
columns
The senator's chief ground of oppo-
sition seems to be that while the bill
was styled universal service bill''
it was not what it professed on its
face to be.
He says that the measure as origi- !
nally presented to congress provided |
that from our male population be- |
tween the ages of 10 and 25 there |
should be drafted or conscripted five |
hundred thousand persons for mill
tary duty. He says that it is esti- |!
mated that in the United States there |
are approximately six million persons
within that limit. The measure, !
therefore, provides for drafting only |
one in twelve. He then asks: rs that
universal service? Is that imposing
the burden equally? Is system which
drafts one and excuses eleven to be
credited with being within the pale of
consistency"
We think so. For instance, our jury
system is based on the same theory
of universal service, but in a county
of several thousand voting population
less than several hundred serve on
our juries. That makes it none the
Hess universal or democratic.
The same principle can be applied
to volunteering. Every one who ap-
plies is not accepted. MANY are call
ed: few are chosen
Jefferson Davis said: No pursuit !
nor position should relieve anyone
who is able to do actual duty from
enrolment in the army unless his
functions of service are more useful /
to the defense of his country in an
other sphere"
In the selective draft measure the
young, lusty, unmarried, robust ones
would be first secured Many, if not
ALL that are in the railroad service |
would be excused, for it is just as ne
cessary that trains should move as
an army Then a certain number on (
the farm would be excused, for it is |
as necessary to grow food as it is to |
raise an army for without food an |
army would be useless and powerless.
Then certain number of physicians !
would be excused, for it is as neces- !
sary to look after the health of those |
left at home as it is to look after the !
health of the soldiers at the front.
Then certain number of druggists
would have to be excused; and the
pulpits could not all be closed, and so
for first one reason and another, and !
all good and necessary ones, too, only
one out of every twelve would be Sc
lected for service.
AS Henry Watterson says, the vol
untary service, like the ox-cart, served
it's purposes we'll in its time, but that
time has ceased, and the ox-cart could
not now be depended on to conduct
the movements of an army
The volunteer system is coincident
with the flint and steel rife, but those
days have passed.
Universal service is democratic for
it imposes service on all alike, leav-
ing out, of. course, necessary exemp-
lions, and if it is the purpose of the
government to prosecute the war with
vigor and to a successful conclusion,
the country is to be congratulated that
the presidents measure was passed
by such handsome majority.