Ripley County democrat., 1917-05-04

Is ~. 80 s.s. EUakAAtS@4 paNh
4. =. ". Wood state against inya-
sion, but Il forbade each to maintain
troops or ships of war" except with
the consent Of the Federal Govern
ment
Thus. the States surrendered into
the hands Of the Federal Government
the function Of their defense. and In
return tho Federal Government guar.
snteed to each State security from
invasion or insurrection. w
To make good It's guarantee Of
security, Congress, in l792, enacted
that all able,bodied male citizens, be
tween the ages Of IS and IS, should
constitute the military forces OF the
nation, and II made each liable "a
military service within the confines
OF the United States. This still u
the law, as perusal OF Section 81 oil
the Act Of June Srd, 1916, will show
In order that universal liability "a
service should be made effective, Con
gress, under the law OF 1875, reenacted
in 1908, and widened In 1916 to In
clude the National Guard and IL
reserve. gave to the President the
power to call for service the entire
male citizenry Of military age ant
fitness in the event OF invasion o.
insurrection. This power the Presi
dent may exercise without further ac
OF Congress.
Defense a Fedora, Function
Thus. the Federal government wa
created for the military purpose 0
defending the States, It's Presiden
was made Commander.in-Chief OF th'
army and navy. Its first president wa
military man. and IT'S citizens o
proper age and fitness we're boun'
each to hght in the common defense
II win therefore be seen that at roo
we are essentially a military nation
in the democratic sense OF the phrase
and that we are subject, today q
ever, TO compulsory military servic
within our own territory. upon cal
OF the Commanderln-Chief
This Is sufficient answer to thos
who claim that In our making tn
necessary modern preparations for dc
tense, we are departing from nor
military traditions, to become q mil
taristic people.
While the Act Of 1902 made ever
man OF military age and fitness liabl
to Federal military service. It DELE
gated to the several States the mil
tary organization Of these men. an
<. II granted to the States the powe
10 make exemptions.
The history OF New York. which
IN this respect substantially that
On the States. illustrates how badl
the States fulfilled the military dutie
laid upon them by the Federal Cover
ment. In New York there was at frs
an annual enrolment. In 1S4e tn
Legislature granted exemption froI
Z military duty to everyone upon pa!
ment OF q fee Of rs cents yea
Enrollments were then made to o.
cur bIannually; next. to occur at ever
fifth year. and. finally. enrolment
we're to be had only upon call Of th
Governor. No Governor. believ'
ever has called an enrolment. Meal
while, the nonservice tar was r.
duoed TO so cents. and shortly ther
after II was abandoned, Thus die
the Federal Militia, which had bee
created for the National defense.
Protest Against Military Laxity.
During the disintegration Of Il
Federal militia volunteer fort
sprang up, as q protest against Il
military Iaxity Of the authorities. Th
force was accepted and subsidized b
the States, and became what is know
a. tho National Guard. Having \
standing under the Federal law II
guard was body wholly local
character. and was not recognized !
the Federal Government until earl
IN the present century
The Constitution, while forbidden
the States 10 maintain troops or shir
of war without the consent or Coz