The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-04-21
WHY THEY FAVOR
CONSUMPTION
Four Members of House Mil
itary Affairs Committee
Give Views
FRANK L. GREENE
SUPPORTS THE PLAN

Thinks It Is the Only Truly Democratic
Way, and That 1t Distributes Burden
of National Defense More Equally |
Among People.
NASHiNGTON. April 21-Thc New |!
York Sun has secured signed statements |
by -four members of the military affairs |
committee Of the house, volunteers in
the Spanish American war, who voted
solidly against compromising the Presi
dents plan for selectiye draft in favor Of
the volunteer system.
Representative Frank L. Greene, who
was a captain in the Vermont Volunteer
Infantry
| Il believe in the so-called CONSUMPTION
system of raising armies for war because
it is the only truly democratic way, i'll
that it distributes the burden of national
defence more nearly equally among the
Ipcuplc The status of n citizen in this
country is that OF 4 party to bi-lateral
contract If he receives protection Of his
individual liberties in time of peace Il" is
under obligation to support the govern
lmcnt that protect, him when his country
is in peril He cannot claim the benefits
lof this protection and escape the obl9a
Ition to maintain tho very force that pro-
ltects him.
The volunteer system simply calls
Tout for national defence the men that
iarc willing 10 acknowledge that obliga
tion Of their own accord and offer their
lives to make it good, while tie men
, equally obligated are not compelled to
bear their share of the obligation, too.
This simply offer, premium TO >hrkers
land slackers To permit other men TO do
their fighting for them.
The argument that the man willing
to make this sacrifice on his own accord
Twill feel Inundated and atfronted i'll his
i patriotic intention ii instead lie j. made
Il part OF a conscript army does not dc
hi, patriotic intention Justice, it seems
, 10 me. If lie is such good patroit that
: he is willing TO die for his country, which
+. is, as Lincoln said, the last full measure
| of DEVOTION he is 4 good enough patriot
:, ITO serve his country before he Is killed
J III the army where his country thinks Ii,
/ can render the best service
Representative John O. Tilson, Colo
RADIO, who served in the Connecticut in
: faatry:
: My experience a. volunteer olIicel
! land my knowledge OF my comtry's mill
t tary history convince ne beyond chanc,
X OF change that the volunteer system j
I not only unfair and undemoeratic bu
: butterfly unsafe and inadequate as
r means of raising and maintaining n
larmy and fighting organization
= would seem to me tragically unfortuuat
$, were this country to embark upon tb
s., greatest war IN its history upon a basi
Il which in the past has always proved I'M
: fair, inadequate and costly in men an
+. money and which the commander in chic
tf Of our army and navy expressly asks t
- be abandoned
> Even ii | favored the volunteer svs
y. tenn. my Judgment would De subordnat
" ed 10 the views of the President "
q. have directed him 10 wage war on Gel
al many w" have pledged the resources
r the country in men and treasure to I'll
is. Sueccs 9iui elimination OF the war an
n we must give him the tools we promise
If him and IN the way he feels he can be-
=, use them to carry out our directions
r.. speedily and incXpensiyelv as possible
= Representative Thomas S. Crago, Co
"a orado, who served in the Pennsylvan
~ infantry:
10 My first impulse was to support 4
- Presidents plan because felt that il
. were generally known that no volunte
organizations We're to be accepted &
fact would be wonderful stimulus
recruiting for the regular army and t
to National Guard, and TO these organic
in lions the government must look for
rec first effective force
Div ANY student OF military history. lie
or elsewhere knows that if this is to
. a war OF any magnitude we must COZ
sooner or later to 4 selectiye draft ss
TEN. Ii pat Immediately into operati
CT conscription does away with any id