The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-01-18

Universal military training, which is
being agitated throughout the country,
is being brought home today to the
people of Kenosha, according to the
statement of A. L. Fridstein, field
secretary of the Universal Military
Training League, of Chicago, who is
in the city for a few days, This or
ganization, which is back of the new
Chamberlain defense act now before
Congress, is sending representative
to every important city in the country,
to stir up popular support for system
of compulsory universal military train
ing for all young men.
Most of your influential citizens, :"
said Mr.. Fridstein, twill be called up
on to express their views on this great
question, the most important that has
confronted the nation since the slav-
cry issue was settled. We are at
tempting to crystalize the generally
widespread belief on the part of all
thinking Americans that the time has
come for this nation to properly fit
it's citizenry for the defense of the
nation in the event Of a national
crisis. We surely deplore the fact but
must admit, that war is not yet en-
tirely unavoidable for this nation. In
telEgent America realizes today that
universal military education is the
only basis for adequate preparedness.
In the words Of all our leading mill
tary authorities our entire present mill
tary establishment is complete failure
/ sEWe are advocating law by Con-
gress requiring all physically fit young
men to take six months of military
drill in camp at the age of nineteen
and thirty days at the age of twenty.
This training is to be under the exclu
sive direction and control Of the fed
eral government, the several states to
have no jurisdiction whatsoever.
con the basis of our population, we
have about one million nineteen year
old men each year of which one-half
are physically fit for military service
Training this half a million each year
for six months, we would have in a
few years fairly efficient trained
citizen army capable of defending the
nation against any foreign aggressor,
without the great delays, hardships
and losses encountered by green men
sent into action.
Such a plan is in accordance with
the authority now vested in the Presi-
dent, to call out all men between
eighteen and forty-fve in case of
emergency. Since our young men are
now subject to such call in case of
war, they are entitled to chance to
get a military education in time of
peace to give them fighting chance
of coming back home.
"Besides adding vastly to the ma
tional defensive power, universal mill
tary training will work an immeasur-
able good for the Improvement, through
disciplinary education and training, in
the physical, moral and mental condi
ton of our boys. It will give the
average American boy a much needed
respect for authority and habits of
constructive regularity, responsibility
and efficiency.
"Such training will give us a better
crop of boys and better crop of men
and fathers. Every boy must serve as
the plan recognizes, neither class, caste,
social or financial position, It will be
a real "Americanizer. It will teach
proper appreciation Of citizenship
It will give our boys physical and
moral courage, self-reliance, self,
respect, self-eontrol, breadth of vision,
and, above all, make for true democ-
racy and patriotism.
The volunteer system Of raising an
army never has worked in this country
or any other in all history. The civil
war was the only real test of our fight
ing strength, and in the sixties a ma
jority of the men in the Union army
were draughted eonscripts. Our plan
is based upon the only efficient plan
known to military science. The heads
of our present army consider universal
service the only basis for adequate
defense. They are the men to whom
we must look for defense in case of
trouble, and they are therefore the men
to whom we should look for advise in