Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-03-08

bat,lehelds of the Civil War, and other
battle fields.
This resolution would recognize no
distinction in the young manhood of
this country. The rich and the Door
would be alike called upon to defend
the country whose blessings and priv.
neges they share equally. It is q just
measure that the young men of this
country, who are blessed ana protect.
ed and benefited as the young men Of
no other country on earth. should re-
spond 10 their country's call in the
time OF stress and peril, and that they
should respond as trained men ment-
ally and physically.
heartily second the motion for the
acceptance OF this report.
Mr. WOOD OF Hancock: Mr.. Presi-
dent, early in the session I introduced
a resolution or act to provide for mill
,ary training in the public schools.
Now my distinguished friend. Senator
Holt, has gone a step further and calls
fer universal military training. My idea
vas 'hst We should accomplish uni.
yersai military training almost by in
Producing this training in the second
any schools or schools OF High school
grade All the boys in Maine are sup
posed AT least to go to schools Of that
kind. and therefore would get some
military training. I am heartily in IA
vor ri going the step further than the
distinguished senator has gone and
make II universal. l believe it should
he universal and compulsory, Mr..
President, and gentlemen. l do not be-
leve there is any reason why one
young man should fight the battles of
other Young men in this country. I be-
lievc every man should be prepared,
and every man should he equally pre-
pared. when called upon to defend his
country. We never will be a military
nation. We never want to be one. We
simply want to be prepared to do our
duty. And when 1t comes to a matter
OF defense. every man should be uni
versally ready and universally pre-
pared 10 do his duty in defense of hts
country And therefore. make 1t COM
pulsory and make 1t universal. Don't
YOU know, Mr.. President and gentle
men. when we were boys, that the fel-
low that knew little of the manly art
of self-defcnse was the man that we
stood in awe OF. II he was ready and
prepared to defend himself l know
how we looked at him. He marched
down the aisles OF the schoolhouse
without being jostled any. We had a
healthy respect for him. / remember
very well. one OF my dear friends in
my boyhood days who had gone out to
sharpen for a quarry. and there was
gnpd boxer In that outfit and he taught
him something. Well want YOU to un-
derstand that every boy in that school
save my dear friend. Oscar Stevens. a
vide berth when he squared away.
Why7 Because ne was prepared to de-
fend himself.
remember my friend. Senator Lord,
told me as long ago as he was In the
law school--less than hundred years
ago. but Quite while ago-about a
case he tried. How did he win? He
went out on to big lot out in the
pasture and measured the stump or
every tree and knew Just how many
trees had been cut down. and Just how
big they were, and just how he could
answer every question. Why did he win
his case? Simply because he was pre-
pared. Mr.. President and gentlemen. and
every lawyer particularly know that the
man who is prepared who goes into
court. Is the man who wins his case
Our distinguished President said some
months ago that the world was on fire
and we knew not when the spark would
fall In America / wish he had got his
FIRE extinguisher apparatus in q little
better shape. because We are pretty
nearly ready to receive that spark most
any time now. gentlemen. Now he has
done something and I give him credit
for II. The sending OF the militia down
on to the border has been splendld
step forward. and we have got GER
tain number Of trained men. and l tell
you. Mr. President and gentlemen. that
in case of war with Germany, whlch
God grant may never come. OF with
any other nation-in case or war we
have got a nucleus around which 20
build an army. Mr.. Bryan says we can
raise an army from sundown to sum
down We cana great big oody OF
d;sorranised. unorganized brave men,
no, knowing how to take care OF them
selves who will go out into battle
without env preparation, not knowing
what to do when they get there. and
will be shot down just as they were
IN the early days of the Rebellion.
as one of the distinguished Senators
has said who has spoken before me- I
tell you, gentlemen, what we want Is
preparation. Follow the explorations OF
the Arctic adventurers Nansen-he had
evcrv dog weighed. He had every sled
Weighed He knew just how long 1t
would take every one of his men to
eat one or those dogs. Just how many
pounds Of dog meat would supply them;
and then how many dogs could eat
other dogs and still have something
left for his men. There wasn't one
thing. II YOU will read his story Far
thest NORTH there wasn't one thing
that he didn't have prensred, and that
Is why he drifted acrosS that expanse
of tee and came out safely. and lived
In a little stone hut covered with wal
rus hide for four months during the
winter. He was prepared. gentlemen.
Would Pearv ever have attained tho
pole II he hadn't built down at Bucks
port, IN my good old home. the best
ship ever sent into the Arctic Ocean? =?
II he hadn't had the best men to 90
with him. In short gentlemen. he
was prepared to the uttermost degree
that human foresight could see. That
10 why he went out and attained the
pole. Because he was ready for II. And
that is what we want to be. gentlemen:
we want to Re prepared. When the day
cOrAe lat ua hA rAady n meet H. and