Gilpin observer., 1917-05-03
NO JUSTIFICATION FOR
THOMAS ATTITUDE


Where was our disloyal and vacil-
laAing Representative in the upper
house Of congress. Senator Thomas,
when the able senator Of Montana,
Mr.. Myers, was speaking in favor of
the conscriptive method of raising
Avn army? Had he heard the sound
arguments advanced by Senator My
ers and needed the wisdom of his
contentious, the Colorado senator
could not, consistently with firm
reasoning, have talen the position
he did in voting against the draft
measure. Neither could he have ef-
fectively justified his attitude as he
attempts to do in his letter to RalIh
w. Smith by contendirg that Presi-
dent Wilson is not ccnversant with
ahe details of the war draft meas
ure. SUPPOSE the president doesn't
understand the measure land 1t is
ridi culcus to even insiruate that he
doesnD any number of military au-
tn hcrities-men who have made war
fare and its attendant features
study fer years-endorse it and are
emf hattie in their position that cen
scription is the only safe and depend
able means of raising an army. To
quote extracts of Senator Myers ar
gument:
THE system Of waging war has
changed, and the question with us is,
What is the best way to raise an ar
my to send to Europe to take our
Fart in the war as one of the great
powers, one Of the foremost nations
of the world? Ccnoretely it is. Shall
it be conscripticn CT volunteers? That
is the question before us.
"How are we to determine that?
have a number CT methods by which
have determined 1t in my mind. To
begin with, our president, the Com
mander in Chief of the Army and
Navy, his entire Cabinet, the entire
War Department, all of the Army Of
ficers, the War college, the General
Staff, the management of the Military
Academy at West Point, the manage
apolis, are all united in believing that
conscription is the better plan, and
hey are earnestly advising and urg-
ing that plan.
II undertake to say that every
modern military critic, every military
au hor, who has written a book,
treatise or a raper ON the science
of modern warfare has advocated con-
scription as the best means of raising
an army in an emergency, in war
time. l do not knew CT single au-
thor who has written book or a
treatise on the subject who advo-
Gates volunteering in preference to
consoripticn as a method of raising
an army in war time. II there is any
such, It has not come to my atten-
tion and l defy the opponents of
this bill to produce single volume
by any modern writer on warfare
which comes out square!y and agrues
in favcr of the volunteer system in
preference to cons iption in raising
an army in war time. If there is
any. l have net heard of it. All Of
the military authorities Of which
have heard strongly advocate con-
scription as the best method of rails
ing an army in war time. Are we to
pay no attention to these authorities?
Are we to give them no cCusidera-
tion whatever? Are they worth no;h-
ing in deciding this momentous ques-
ton? If have litigation to conduct,
| go to a lawyer; If l am sick, | go
to a physician; If l want dental work
done, l go to a dentist; If I want
horse shod, l 90 to blacksmith; and
l believe 1t is pretty gccd rule
when one wants Information about
how to raise ard equip an army and
how to conduct war to go to mill
tary authorities, these who have
made that subject lifelong study,
some CT them being men whom we
have educated fer the very purpose
CT giving us their advice and informa'
tion on the subject. They devote
their lives to the study of this ques-
ton; they study 1t not only in this
country but they study 1t in foreign
countries; they study 1t from the
standpoint of the history of all the
world frcm the beginning of record
ed time"
Mine operators who feel themselves
aggrieved over the treatment they
} have received from the smelter trust