Stone County enterprise. [volume] (Wiggins, Stone County, Mississippi) 1916-current, 1917-05-12
Universal Service Not New
We Have Had the Law For Over Century
MILITARY Training Finishing Course in
the Education of Young Men.
By HENRY A. WISE WOOD, Chairman,
Conference Committee National Preparedness.

, ment to defend the States from in.
vasion, and the Federal Government,
in 1892, had provided the national
force already described to carry out
this purpose But this force, as we
have seen, the States have permitted
to die; and in its stead each had Gre
ated for its protection a little army
of it's own, called National Guard,
and in so doing had taken over from
the Federal Government it's own de-
fense, to be maintained at Its own
cost, and had assumed also the duty
of defending the Federal Government,
Thus had the Federal Government and
the States exchanged places, in their
military relationship.
The consequences Of this surrender
of military power by the Nation are
now seen to be exceedingly hazardous
to the national welfare, to be nearly
insupportable by the States, on &C
count of the heavy financial burdens
involved, and to be inequitable to
those who compose these little state
armies. There is therefore substan-
tfal agreement among all who have
studied the subject that there must
be brought about the immediate adop-
tion of a broad and equitable military
system which shall be wholly national
in character.
Democratic Military Structure.
AS the foundation Of such a system
already exists in the Federal law, as
has been shown above, it remains only
for the nation to build upon that foun'
dation a modern democratic military
structure, and to remove such Legs
latures restrictions as prevent the
conapulsion of every man CT military
age and fitness to serve beyond the
borders of the United States-ln
Mexico, for instance, If need should
there arise-as he must now serve
within his own territory
Universal liability to military serT'
ice being fixed in the law, the question
now arises, shall we not train our
young men in such manner tha7
fhev will be the more able to per
form effectively the patriotic duty
which the law has bound upon them
with the maximum Of comfort ana
safety for themselves?
The education of youth to become
a lterate and useful citizen already
is comnuLsory. Modern conditions OF
life demand that he shall be made
also highly efficient in physlque.
morale and discipline. And the Sc
curitv of the nation requires that he
shall be taught to perform, with ease
and precision, on land or sea, the
military service the law and national
security demand of him.
Experience and intelligent observe
tion have shown that this tra1nln%
should be given not later than when
the youth closes his common school
career, and that it should be treated
as a finishing course in physical De
yelopment. character building, the
military sciences, and patriotism.
Merely Educational Extension
Thus. universal military or nava
training should be treated merely at
an extension Of youths customary
course of studies, and 1t should be
given him at the expense OF the FEC
eral Government, to whom he owes
ALLEGIANCE. With his clothing, keep
and instruction furnished him e:ats
his parents will be relieved OF MS
cost of maintenance during his tram
ing. probably for the first time IN
his life. When youth so trained
steps from his training camp or snip
he should be strong, straight
healthy. alert, and disciplined man
we'll fitted to enter life. To such a
start every American boy Is entitled
And. what is more important II we
are to retain our liberties, the Amer
lean youth will thus have become an
efficient soldier or sailor.
In order to meet the requirements
of our situation, therefore, two
changes must be made in our mill
tary system. The law must extend the
liability of our citizens for military
service so that their service shall not
be limited by our borders, and 1t must
inaugurate military training for all
young men.
In conclusion, I cannot refrain from
quoting the war-wise words of that
beloved soldier of the Revolutionary
period, Light Horse Harry Lee: "A
Government is the murderer OF Its
citizens which sends them to the field
uninformed and untaught where they
are to meet men of the same age and
strength, mechanical by education
and discipline for battle"