Evening journal., 1917-07-24
LET THERE pE No pIscRnINArION.

t is with pleasure that receive and give pub
liciy today TO a letter from the Rev. Frederick NJ.
kirkus, rector Of Trinity Church. this city. in which he
asks for square deal in public mind and utter
ancc, for those Americans who affected by the
lective service draft. That letter s follows:
10 the Editor OF THE EVENING JOURNAL.
sr-Now that tho seectve draft for military SER
vice is actually in operation. it seems TO OF the ut
most importance that everything resembling invidi
ous comparison between volunteers and conscripts
should be discontinued
All honor TO the men who have promptly come for
ward IN this emergency and offered themselves for the
service They have displayed n high dogroo of pa
trotism and aided the government in most import
But tho government has deliberately adopted the sys-
tenn OF universal service in preference 20 the volunteer
system With many this action Is unpopular, but it has
been based sound principles and is tho result OF
wide knowledge and experience.
II anyone wants know what those principles are.
and how Euglands experience OF the past three years
ehas furnished invaluable object lesson OF what
not 10 do let him read "Ordoal bv Battle bv r. s.
oliver and especially chapter five entitled Methods OF
Recrptng Among tho objections the volunteer sys-
icm as the only method OF recruiting are thoso two
sreiy obvious First 10 is slow and unreliable
except in mako-shift for raising tho contingent;
and second IL often results in the misplacng OF
who embrace military service tho cost OF
partmont Of Industry which is dependent experts,
and is Of vital Importance to the successful prosecu-
distinguished French officer has said OF tho method
Then in vogue in England. THE triumph Of the volun-
leer system is German triumph. II has meant the
ruin of Belgium and the devastation OF France
But not writing a treatise on Methods Of Re-
crutne am pleading Tor fair deal towards tho men
VINO shsl DC arat'eu inc government has enroy JUS
tfed them IN subiecng themselves to the selcctive
system We may need army Of ono million or of
twenty million Only time tell how serious or
otherwise is TO he the toll of manhood exactod from
this country by the demon Of But the plan OF
universal service by the method of seecve draft puts
every IN this country the disposal OF the gov
ernment His life and resources belong TO tho nation
and each awaits his turn the cali 20 service
apd sacrifice whenever and however that call may
reach him.
Many who are waiting have harder task than those
who arc TO he in tho thick of the conflict Wives and
MOTHERS mean servants OF tho nation when they
bid their husbands and Godspeed and prepare for
the long strain OF uncertainty anxiety and waiting The
heavy heart Is serious burden tho uniform and
tuuskct with all that they symbolic
But the who shall be drafted into the army will
bear precisely the responsibilities and confront
the opportunities, and be entitled TO the same
approcatiop and respect tho mon OF similar cabr'
and metlc who have volunteered. They compile,
with the requirements OF their government and ther
Is every 10 believe they will Loyalty uphold th
tho task for which they NAV be selected. Let no on
disparagc themard let no volunteer affect 10 belttl
dcspiso them. Yours very truly.
FREDERICK NJ KtRKUS,
Trinity Church Rectory Wilmington DEL July 90 1911
The suggestion is both timely and sensible Unde
The solectivo service class system any man who
called to the coors should rank just as high in publ
respect as does any other man; and who hs
not been called should be deemed Stacker. That
one OF the great advantages OF the seectve serviC
class system leaves no in doubt relative to HI
patriotic duty that duty defined clearly "a
him by his own Federal Government. He is under n
obligation direct or implied, go TO the colors unit
his class has been called.
The volunteer system broke down IN Great Britai
just it broke down here. Through seectve servic
The work OF national defense and ofense has been pu
upon proper basis.