The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-02-16
FOR A CITIZEN ARMY

Two great principles are embodied
in the bill providing for universal NIL
itary training which hai Heen FAVOR
ably reported to the senate by the
committee on military anairs. 1t es-
tablishes the obligation of the Amerl-
can citizen to serve the republic for
national defense and prepares him IN
youth for that honorable service. In
| its application to all who are physl-
cally Qualified. whether rich or poor.
except those who have relatives de-
pendent upon their earnings, it is a
model of democratic equality. There
il to be no escape by use Of money
of appeal to favor.
The period Of training prescribed
by the bill is six months. and is to be-
gin in the nineteenth year. After that
the soldier or sailor goes into the re
serve, from which until he completes
his twenty eighth year. he may be
called at any time by the president
only for purposes of defense. Assum-
ing that at least 100000 young men
will receive this training each year,
ii is figured that after nine years the
nation will have always in reserve ap-
proximately 100000 able bodied
men with some knowledge of arms
and able to take care of themselves
in camp, trench and field or on ship
board
OF course this measure does not
meet the views of the extreme mill
tarists who want a preliminary ser
vice of one year and a return to the
colors for shorter periods for some
years thereafter. as is the case in
Continental Europe. Such a plan,
even when Endorsed by the general
staff, has met with little favor. be-
cause it creates and is intended to
create a standing army, and, by ex-
tending the training for several
years, interrupts unnecessarily the
educational industrial and business
advancement of young Americans.
The senate bill contemplates only
citizen army, an army responsible and
an army trained, but not an army
Withdrawn and set apart from civil
life.
Fully impressed as it always has
been with the force of the objections
to rampant militarism. the World re-
CARDS this measure as admirably
adapted to present-day requirements.
1t is plain enough that aggressive
warfare as we now know it. and the
evil influences which. almost without
warning. are likely to subject inOf-
fensive populations to its terrors,
make dependence upon hastily organ
lied volunteer armies suicidal folly.
However rich a nation may be in
money or however we'll supplied with
guns or other equipment, if its men
called to arms are ignorant and ,undis-
ciplined it never has a chance.
Such citizen army as is here in
view meets every reasonable criti-
cism of those who fear militarism. 1t
trains our youth for great and no
BILE purpose, which is avoWed and linn
tied. 1t emphasizes at the most i'm
presionable time of their lives the
duty that they owe to the republic. It
guarantees them against service in
wars of aggression contrary to the
lOftiest ideals of that republic. It
even assures such as are sensitive on
that point that they will not be used
in strikes or other labor disturbance.
es. Quite as important as all else.
their necessary training being over, it
sends them to their homes. a citizen
army indeed and not an army of the
barracks to be employed in ambitious
adventure and conquest
What the citizen owes to his coun.
try has been too often subordinated
of late to considerations Of what the
country owes to the citizen. Events
abroad may at any hour call for an
American uprising en- masse, as a re-
suit Of which we shall have military
training of the sternest character. If.
happily we shall escape that ordeal
the least that we can do for the fu-
ture in the way of self-instruction
self-discipline and self-preservation is
to accept and act upon the very mod
crate programme now proposed
World
Up to this time Governor Cats has