Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-21
WANTS CONSCRIPTION TO BE
PERMANENT

To the Editor Of the Evening Ledger:
SIr-Whle the selective conscription law
is undoubtedly the best plan to meet the
provide permanently for universal military
training. Therefore the importance Of con-
tinuing the campaign for universal military
training and equal national service can
not be too strongly emphasized by the press
Of the country
Both houses OF Congress having accepted
the principle of tho citizens liability to
service, and being about TO apply this
principle in legislation for the raising Of
troops the majority of citizens who have
not given this subject serious consideration
are apt to feel that the question is perma-
nenty settled.
mere perusal OF the title of the War
Department bill now in conference would
show the fallacy OF any such conclusion,
for II plainly states that It is "a bill to
authorize tho President TO increase tempor-
arily the military establishment of the
United States"
On mature deliberation any thoughtful
citizen will realize and readily agree that
the legislation now pending in Congress
is but the first surrender of the outposts Of
the forces which have SO long condemned
this country to the reckless waste and
criminal mortality Of the volunteer system.
Rational service is the vital need of the
hoLr and military training the foundation
upon which II must rest. The prime fac
tors of national service comprehend the
Industrial and military forces of the nation
and are necessarily interdependent. Legis-
lation for national service must guarantee
universally of application and equality of
distribution throughout the entire nation
u II is to succeed as permanent policy.
Io
diately contemplated shall be amended so
as to adopt as permanent, continuing ma
tional military policy the fundamental prln.
ciple of universal liability TO training and
| service virtually the entire military force
| OF the United States will pass out OF ex-
| istence upon the termination Of the pres
| ent war
The great citizen movement which has
| been built around and which has finally
crystalllzed upon the fundamentally demo-
| cratic principle of universal liability to
| training and service has won the first
| fight in the campaign against the cham
plons Of the volunteer system If now we
| allow ourselves to be lulled into inaction
| in the belief that the fight is won we will
| be rudely shocked into a realization that
| what was supposed to be the goal was but
| the first milestone marking the first deh-
| mite step In long and arduous campaign
1 believe II TO be only fair to allow
| Congress and the War Department to
work out, unhampered. the present leglsla-
ton and its application before attempting
anything further in the military training
! fight, but l feel 1t to be my duty to sound
this note Of warning, so that we may keep
| our forces intact and in readiness to avail
| ourselves OF the thousands OF new friends
which the application of the new conscrip-
ton legislation will in the very nature of
things rally around our standard.
Every home that shall furnish a man in
this emergency will be an added assurance
that the principle will be universally ap-
piled and the burden equally distributed
H. H. SHEETS,
Secretary Of the National Association for
Universal Military Training.
Philadelphia May 1G