Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-29

duty to make war upon Germany. we
can make the Presidents message
stand among the great state papers
In our history; but we can make 1t
strength now. at once; II at the earli-
est possible moment, we put the nag
on the firing line and keep It there
over constantly growing army. until
the war closes by peace which brings
victory to the great cause of democ-
racy and civilization. the great cause
Of Justice and fair play among the peo-
pies of the world.
We Americans are at war. Now let
US fight. Let US make it a real war,
not dollar war. Let us show that
we have the manhood to pay with our
own bodies. and not merely to hire
other men to pay with their bodies.
Let US fight at once. Let us put the
moment. and not merely announce that
we are going to tight a year or two
hence"
Asserting that America should inn
mediately set about raising a great
army on the principle Of universal OBJ
hgatory military training and service
ana declaring that 1t would require a
long time to train such an army, Mr..
Roosevelt declared:
Would Build Up Fighting Force.
But, most emphatically. we should
not rest content with this We should
not rest content with merely preparing
an army to act a year or eighteen
months or two years hence. Let us
put the flag on the firing line at the
| earliest possible moment, this summer
in France or Flanders or the Balkan
peninsula 1t need only be a small
| army at first. But even a division
would be better than nothing. Then
we can constantly keep that division
| filled, and other divisions from time
to time added to it: until year hence
| II the war continues we have a really
formidable fighting force at the front
| a hghttng force which will be steadily
increased month by month. year by
year, until the triumph comes.
Il wish to see the system of oblig-
atory served used in order to make
all men serve who ought to serve. But
90 not hinder men who. under conscrip-
| ton. would be entitled to stay at home,
from volunteering to go to the front
| If they can render good service. Under
the bill proposed to Congress by the
war Department many millions of ex-
cellent fighting men would be exempt
from service, while long time would
elapse before the others are sent to the
front. Under these conditions we
! ought to use the volunteer system to
fill the gap; it opens to US at once a
great possibility; let it be used, and
oSSA cAeiuSlNCly, " give u lHoSe w uO
would otherwise be exempt an oppor-
tunity to go to the front without claim
ing exemption.
Il most earnestly hope that we shall
avoid any policy of delay. Congress
has passed, without a dissenting vote,
bill to appropriate seven billions of
dollars as representing part of our
contribution to the great war. This is
fine; but only on condition that we also
put our men into the fighting line.
Half of this great sum is to go to the
allies: that is. it is to be spent by them
rfn getting their men up against the
German and. Austrian and Turkish
shells and bullets. Now, we Americans
have always prided ourselves on being
able to do our own fighting. 1t is right
to help others fight in the common
cause for which we are engaged. But
it is even more necessary that We
should fight ourselves.