The Seward gateway and the Alaska evening post., 1917-04-13

IllS plVSShS N0AlNuAg'
 The constitution, while forbidding the states to maintain troops or ships of war (without the consent of con gress) had bound the federal govern ment to defend the states from inva- sion, and the federal government, in 1792, has provided the national force already described to carry out this purpose. But this force, as we have seen, the states have permitted to die; and in it's stead each had created for it's protection a little army of its own, called national guard, and in so doing had taken over from the fed eral government it's own defense, to be maintained at it's own cost, and had assumed also the duty of defending the federal government. Thus had the federal government and the states exchanged places, in their military re- lationship.
 The consequences of this surrender of military power by the nation are now seen to be exceedingly hazardous to the national welfare, to be nearly insupportable by the states, on ac- count of the heavy financial burdens involved, and to be negotiable to those who compose these little state armies. There is therefore substan- tial agreement among all who have studied the subject that there must be brought about the immediate adoption of broad and equitable military system which shall be wholly nation al in character.
 As the foundation of such system already exists in the federal law, as has been shown above, it remains only for the nation to build upon that foundation modern democratic mili tary structure, and to remove such legislative restrictions as prevent the compulsion of every man of mill tary age and fitness to serve beyond the borders of the United StateS--in Mexico, for instance, if need should there arise-aS he must now serve within his own territory.
 Universal liability to military ser vice being fixed in the law, the Ques- ton now arises, shall we not train our young men in such a manner that they will be the more able to perform effectively the patriotic duty which the law has bound upon them, with the maximum of comfort and safety for themselves?
 The education of youth to become literate and useful citizen already is compulsory. Modern conditions of life demand that he shall be made also highly efficient in physique, morals and discipline. And the security of the nation requires that he shall be taught to perform, with ease and pre- cision, on land or sea, the military service the law and national security demand of him.
 Experience and intelligent observa- tion have shown that this training should be given not later than when the youth closes his common school career, and that it should be treated as finishing course in physical de- velopment, character building, the military sciences, and patriotism.
 Thus, universal military or naval training should be treated merely as ah extension of a youths customary course of studties, and its should be given him at the expense of the fed eral government to whom he owes al legiance. With his clothing, keep, and instruction furnished him gratis, his parents will be relieved of his cost of maintenance during his training, probably for the first time in his life. When a youth so trained steps from his training camp or ship, he should be strong straight, healthy, alert, and disciplined man, we'll fitted to en-