The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1917-11-16
WAR TALKS
BY UNCLE DAN
Number -Four


mic md base been looking up about
war Ia the encyclopedia at school We
found that In the war between Ger
many and France 10 lslOTi, Germany
lost IN killed and wounded $4,000 sol.
dlers while France lost about SIX times
as many and besides Tint she lost
every baiile We uased Professor slo.
cum why thIs was lie sa,d that the
Germnn army was highly trained and
ably commanded. while the French
soldiers were poorly trained and That
their war department was honey
comhod with jealousy md politics;
that the officers were not much good,
md that's why France lost the war
and so many men. What do you think
about II, Uncle Dnn1"
"Woll," said Uncle Dan. professor
Slocum Is right. by ineniclency France
lost that war, together with two Of
her best proylnces-Alsaco and Lor-
relne-and had to pay a billion dol
lars indemnity money. France today
learned her lesson by that sad expe-
Renee, so she put In universal military
training and as a result, her soldiers
now know how to nght and how to
protect themselves. They are losing
less men In the war than the Gcrmans.
France also put politics out OF her war
department, so that expert authority.
instead Of bureaucratic stupidity, now
directs the army, The result In,
France has one Of the best and most
efficient armies every assembled, and
this shows what thorough trimming and
good leadership means In warfare.
This saved France In this crisis. as
well as the liberties Of the world
AS war Is now conducted there is
no place for m unframed man. A
body OF 10000 well trnlncd soldiers
properly handled could defent 1--WE
times their number OF raw recruits ind
do II every time with comparatively
small loss to themselves. Proper train
Ing alone sill rclsce the cca.h and
casualty rate One.third Of what II 9TH
erwise would be, mud right here 10 an
unantwerable arslmtn. Ter unlyer1al
military salnlng
"our government has no moral right
to force her men into war service
without properly training them for II.
To do so is simply murder, hence the
frantic effort that Is now being madc
to give her soldiers some training be-
fore they are sent to the front. II we
are to win this war It will take trained
men to do II, and II viii take trained
men to win any other war that may
come upon Us In the future. II we
must fight, let US fight to win and not
to lose"
THAT'S the stun" said Billie.
Continuing, Uncle Dan snld: "Our
government has expended about $780,
100000 to put up canionments and
training stations In order to train the
men called by the sclcctlve draft.
When these men are tralned- the train
ing stations should be Immediately
filled with younger mon, say those 10
their nlnctcenlh year, to receive elk
months Of Intensive military train
Ing along the lines Of the Chamberlain
bill. This viii be OF Unreasonable
benefit to them individually. II will
do them more good than any other two
years Of their whole life; It will make
them strong. manly sclf-rcllunt quick
to SEQ md quick to act; It will equip
them for successful life. In short,
II will rebuild American manhood and
will also give the government n body
Of trained men to draw from IN case
II is necessary TO defend our ilag and
country. We must settle this question
OF universal military training lmmc-
dlately. otherwise these training camps
may be demolished. The adoption NJ
universal military training Will be no.
tlce to the world that from then on
we will be prepared to defend our
selves promptly aud efficiently and
this will do more to keep us out OF
war in the future than anything else
we could do"
DO you think, brother" said Mrs.
Graham. shat there will ever be mr.
other war;"
II have no doubt about IT," said
Uncle Dan. $50 long as men are
selfish, so long as nations are ambl-
tlous to acquire territory, so long as
population presses and demands more
room. so long as there remains a
scramble for world trade-so long wars
will be. when the time comes that
we reach the high plane FOR which we
hope aud dream, when all will recog-
nlze the fathcrhood OF God and the
brotherhood Of man, then, and then
only. will wars cease. When that day
comes doors will need no locks, banks
will need no vaults to protect tlelf
treasures. but hat day Us long way
IN.
''Thc only afe and sane plan is % /
be able TO defend ourselves 90 all
times. Therefore,, every citizen should
Insist that senators and couwc -mDu
shall provide for universal uiimy
training. so iha, never nguln shall tha
country be caught so completely uu' !
ready rs this war found us. For /
tnnaiely. 10 this ease, our enemy has
been held back. so we have had fsw |
nonths ln which In nrenurp. This nd /