The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-06-01

you 20 nome. - MrS. w. y. BROWN,
2844 W. 18th St., Cleveland, Ohio.
which drew and held him, while the
volunteer soldiers despised the con-
script. The prejudice of the coun-
try, therefore, continued in favor of
its traditional policy of volunteers.
The European experience with the
volunteer system had, however, de-
vcloped obvious objections to it of a
very serious if not fatal character.
In the first place, it was found mad
equate to the raising of armies neces-
sary under the conditions of modern
war; in the second place, it was found
that the volunteer system disorgan-
lied the industries of the country,
and, unless controlled by arbitrary
exemptions, that it would deprive the
army it created of the support in
the factory and workshop, upon the
continued efficiency of which its sue
cess rested; and, in the third place,
ii was shown that the volunteer sys-
tenn rested for whatever success it
attained upon system of compul-
sions almost as coercive as a draft,
and far more cruel to the individuals
taken, and far more destructive of
the moral tone of the nation.
Campaigns for the recruiting of
volunteers were necessary-feverish
and excited appeals to the emotional
nature of men, placards inculcating
hatred and melting to revenge, and
finally such personal social pressure
as could be brought to bear upon the
reluctant by focusing upon them the
derision of their friends and neigh
bors, the taunts and gibes of their
sweethearts and acquaintance, and
the personal indignity of the brand
of cowardice from every passer-by.
But, even when so supported, the vol
unteer system failed in Great Britain.
The War Department at Washing
ton, therefore, prepared a bill based
upon three central ideas.
First-The universal obligation of
the citizens in a free country to serve
the common welfare of that country
in an hour of danger in the manner
best adapted to the common defense.
Second-The preservation of the in
iustrial and social life of the nation
in the fullest and most efficient form
during the progress of the war.
Third-The right of the nation it.
self to mobilize its strength by the
distribution of the burden in the fair
est possible way, exercising the in
'ormed Judgment of those who had
consulted the experience of the world
'ather than by attempting to coordi-
late the haphazard impulses, how
,ver generous, brave and self-sacri-
icing, of those whose zeal might well
cad them into sacrifices which the
ountry could not safely afford, while
excused those who were unwilling,
hough able, to do their duty.
With these ends in view, the bill
by the War Department
inns to create National Army, one
rmy, equalizing the term of service,
o that all its members will be en-
tiled to be discharged from the mill
ary service when the emergency has
assed. Since we already have the
Regular Army and National Guard,
1ade up of volunteer recruits, the
olicy recommended by the Depart
=
lements to war strength by con- !
inuation of volunteer enlistment, and
dds new forces drawn from the coun-
ry by a system of selective conscrip- !
ion. This plan provides for con- =
nuance of the traditional policy of ,,
ne country in the matter of volun- :
GERS so far as existing forces are i
oncerned; but new forces would be :
nosen in the following manner: I
All the men in the country between Z
le ages of nineteen and twenty-five :
ears would be registered. 1t is es- :
mated that they would number about !
sven million. OF this seven mill u
N approximately forty-two per cent, ::
r about three million, would be dis !,
lalified for various reasons. Of the :,
emaining four million, five hundred !;
lousand would be chosen by lot, first =
oportioning to each state its proper 7
roportion. and then, within the :,
.ates, making a further apportion- v
ent among the Congressional Dis :
lets, and perhaps the counties or II
her territorial units, the apportion- :,
ent in each instance being based up y
| the population of the unit as shown 4
? the last Federal Census. The five :,
lndred thousand men thus chosen !,
ould be the first element of the new !,
my formed according to a plan "
hich would provide further forces n Il
le number, from time to time, as i
If military need required. +,
Under this plan the new forces
ould be made entirely of young men;
It wars are always fought by young
en-. In the Civil War the number
men in the Union armies of twen- J,
-one years of age and under num-