Milford chronicle., 1917-04-20
WHAT UNIVERSAL
TRAINING REALLY IS
(By Porter Emerson Browne of the
Vigilants)

(By Porter Emerson Browne of tn
Vigilants.)
There seems to be so much misun
derstanding about what Universe
Military Training and Service realL
means, that / want to say word o
explanation. But first let me impres!
as deeply and as earnestly as l know
how, that nobody wants war. NO
body wants war any more than he
wants appendicitis, tuberculosis, OF
any of the other scOurges of human
| ity. Unfortunately, however, we are
not always asked whether we want
war or not War is Jnrust upon US (;
as sickness is thrust upon us. And
when il comes, all we have it in our
power to do is to fight, as best we may
for our lives or for our health, as the
case may be.
1t is a fact not generally appreciat-
ed but a fact nevertheless, that, ac-
cording to the constitution OF the
United States, all boys and men, from
the ages of eighteen to forty-hYe, are
subject to military service in time OF
war
This means that if war comes to
us. as war has come, our boys will
have to 20 to war if our country needs
them. We cannot help it. The tact
still remains. The fact remains fur
ther. that if they were not liable Ior
war. a relentless enemy flooding the
land as the Germans flooded Belgium,
would force them in a defense of their
lives.
So that, whether or no, in case OF
war our boys must fight.
not uhUnnuFn
versal military training want, and all
they want, is that when this nght
shall come, our boys shall be prepar-
ed as possible to defend themselves
their homes, their mothers, their
fathers. They want the boys OF
America to have a fair chance, and
not to be driven into battle unready,
as were the boys of England, or un-
armed, as were the boys of Russia.
If you saw a plague Of smallpox
,earng down upon your home, you
would want your boy to be vaccinated
you? If you saw a plague
# fire bearing down upon your home !
ou would want your boy to have the
means of fighting it, wouldn't you!
f you saw the plague of famine bear
lg down upon you, you would want
our boy to have food, wouldn't you! !
you saw the plague of flood bearing q
own upon you, you would want your I
oy to have a boat and the oars to :
ow it, wouldn't you?
Then why, if you see the plague OF d
Yar do you want your boy to stand .
tripped and helpless, bound hand and
,ot powerless TO help himself or save
imself, waiting only to be engulted &
eneath its forces? "
If | were a mother / should want u
y boy to have a fair chance to save 81
mself and to help others save them W
lives. l should want to give my boy
e means to protect himself, and not pptl
ave him bound and helpless in the ht
ee of danger. oe
You give your boy education to pro eli
ct himself against the scOurge of vi
,verty. You give your boy religion tn
protect himself against the scourge =
sin. You give your boy medical pr
re and training to protect him -
ainst the scourge of sickness. If Of
IT comes your boy will have to go pl'
yway. The government of the pr
lited States will take him. Why M
en-. should you hesitate to give him me
e knowledge and the training that ha
Il protect him against that greatest US,
all scourges-war? eve
[ cannot see. Can you? sp9l