La Junta tribune., 1917-06-21

dcred II less effective than an autoc-
racy.
My friends, that is the fallacy in
the arguments OF the anti-conscrip-
tionists. A democracy IL founded
not only upon the doctrine that every
citizen is entitled to equal rights
with every other citizen. but upon
the Complementary doctrine that ev-
cry citizen is equally obligated to
the public service with every other
citizen. To permit any citizen at his
will TO volunteer or withhold service
for the common good, Is to create a
specially privileged class, which Is
the distinctive mark OF an autocraoy.
To deny TO democracy the power
to command the services of every
citizen, is TO render IT unable to meet
Its autocratic adversary upon equal
terms. To say that conscripted
army will lack the spirit and enthus-
iasm OF voluntary army, is only
10 admit the most apparent defect
OF the volunteer system For II can
not be denied that even In democra-
cies there exist those who will not
volunteer to defend the government
which insures their happiness and
comfort, But to permit such men to
escape service is to discourage those
who serve willingly. For such men
the army Is school. and may lmpart
TO them the lessons OF patriotism.
which through some fault of our sys-
TEN. they never learned.
In this war We are fighting an au-
tocrat. whose military strength comes
from selectiye conscription. We have
wisely chosen to pit against him our
whole strength, Systematically Sc
lected and marshalled for the most
effective action. In an autocracy. Sc
lectiye conscription is the mark OF
slavery. in a democracy, IL Is the
badge OF honor.
think most of us have a very
definite conception OF the things for
which We are fighting. President
Wilson has made 1t very clear by re-
peated declarations that we seek mo
material profit or aggrandizement of
any kind" There can be no more
convincing proof OF the value of dem
ocratic institutions than this terri
BILE war II is true that democracies
have waged wars OF aggression. 1t is
also true that demoeracies can be
swayed By passion. and as a result
declare war without careful consid-
GRAFTON. But. as the President has
said: "Cunningly contrived plans of
deception or aggression, carried II
may be. from generation to genera
tion, can be worked out and kept
from the light only within the priv
acy OF courts or behind the carefully
guarded condolences OF narrow and
privileged class. They are happily
where public opinion COM
msnds and insists upon full informa-
ton concerning all the nations af-
fairs" Had Germany been n repub-
lie, her last forty years OF prepa-
ration for war. would have been
years only OF peaceable Industrial ac-
'iyity and OF consequent blessing TO
the world Instead OF refusing to
Join the other nations In a limita-
ton OF armaments. at the last Hague
she would have been the
first TO propose IL. And instead of
,haraeterizing treaties as scraps OF
paper to be broken when Il suited
her purpose. she would have Insist
ed upon their inyiolability.
! think the war will have an i'm
portaut and beneficial effect upon
our national life. II will have more
and farther reaching effects than We
have time to discuss ut this time
But the most important and most
touches the quality OF
our democracy. We have. affirmed
our democracy with mental reserva-
tions. We have been slow In re-
the closEing machinery OF In
direction that stands between the
people and the government they ere
ated. We have even been tolerant