Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-16
LAWYERS TO LEAD RALLY
OF. CITIZEN FORCES
thomas w. Shelton Publishes Call
for United Support OF
Government.
Just BE FULLY ORGANIZED
'oints to Importance Of Proper Con.
uuct Of the War Behind the
Trenches as Well as OF the War in
the Trenches.


duct Of the War Behind the
Trenches as Well as Of the War in
tho Trenches.
Thomas w. Shelton. chairman OF the
tcntral Legal Advisory Board for Vir-
sinia. is publishing IL series OF signed
trticles In the Central Law Journal. OF
IT.. Louis, of which he Is an editor, on
he subject Of Fighting tho War Be-
hiihd the Lines. which arc being given
Hvide circulation. 1t is Il patriotic call
70 the lawyers to organize and lead the
Hfar that civilians must conduct in or
R.cr for the soldiers to win tho war.
frhe first appeared in the issue OF De-
Ecmber I. and is of interest to both
Eaymen and lawyers
The article follows:
This war is going to be fought in
Iwo phascs-in the trenches and be-
carried on by military forces; tho other
,,y civilian forces. In the opinion of
.erovost- ACKNOWLEDGMENT Crowdcr the
wo services. though wholly differing
character, arc of like Importance.
They require much the same treatment.
N The military forces are being Sccn-
3F!hcally organized into suitable units,
Jt"'ith reference to special qualifications,
and tho personnel is undergoing in
I,:cnsc specialization under expert guild
.'nce for the duty set for them TO per
form and the object they will achieve.
., Fhey are officercd By men who arc pre-
1'pared and who are consccratcd to the
duty OF directing and guiding indi-
4svidual endcavor.
What of the citizen forces? They
have not been organized. and little
| official knowledge exists of tho indi-
|fidual qualifications and specialization
OF the people of this country. Mani
ing for the responsibilities and enor-
nous duties and sacrifices that GER
taiHly lie before the American people
las citizens force, before there ~
|, forever destroyed the world wide men
ace OF heroic kingship to civilization
|, liberty, justice, self-respcct and even
the Christian religion. One dares not
h insult the American spirit By the men
Il ton or compromise of these cardinal
principles that have made America
|! great. Then. it is for America tight
Ito victory or to death.
I CITIZEN FORCES IN
I NEED OF ORGANIZATIONS
The citizen forces need organization.
THAT liz all. They need no sclective
: draft, for all must serve and all will
serve in its invncible army. They
Z must be armed with the martial spirit
I subdivided into units in accordance
with individual qualifications, and. like
undergo specialized training FOR the
thousands Of peculiar tasks that are
now partially done OF wholly neglected.
y year ago there was sounded al
t!on-widc alarm on account OF tn.
unpreparedncss OF military forces. I;
was not suddenly that the people awak-
encd to the dire mergcncy. II was
only after an intensive campaign OF
education conducted by far-sceing pa
triots. that they awokc like Il sleeping
giant and plunged into the fray. II
was suddenly that Congress acted un-
der the Inspiration OF cioquence wis
dom and conservation os the President
and its own patriotic Intentions.
The nucleus OF AN organization fo. the
military forces already existed. Earn
est. educated wcll-traincd and en-
thuSiaStic officers awaited but the au-
thority to spring into action ana draw
around them mighty. fearless and
wcll-prepared army. How well and
quickly they have done il history will
tell in songs OF praise.
Now. there is no vocal warning OF
the unprcparedncss Of the civilian
forces There is no organization and
no coordination OF individual cmort
The individual civilian heart means
right. but the head goes wrong or is
idle from lack OF training and guidance
in a nationwide cndcavor There is too
much repetition and lost motion. Warm
inSs. rules. and Instructions. like
danger. are meaningless 10 Il misdi-
rected or sleeping people. There is
needed an intense campaign Of educa-
ton speaking in national. aye. world
wide. terms. preaching the attitude OF
unsclfish cooperation and the spiri; OF
patriotic service and teaching the
m Gaming OF this war.
LAWYERS FORM NUCLEUS
FOR CIVILIAN RALLY
There is no nucleus of an organiZa-
ton around which the civilian forces
may rally. But there are earnest
educated. well-trained and enthusiastic
officers awaiting both the authority and
direction i'll order to spring into the
vital campaign Of preparing the civilian
army that must fight the battles; behind
the trenches If the war shall be won.
These men are Americas LAWYERS
Concrctely, what shall the LAWYERS
do? The answer is to follow the OK
ample OF the soldiers. Let there be
organization OF an army of civilians
comprising every patriotic citizen. Let
this be divided into units analogous TO
the different arms of the military SER
vice and oHicered in like manner. such
officers to be designated as chairmcn
and vice cha irmen instead of generals
and captains.
Let the people be inspired by the
realization of concert OF action; that
every endeaVor. every sacrifice they are
called upon TO make is but one agency
cooperating with others. surely.
achieving a designed objective. This
will cnthusc, maintain confidence. and
insure participation. it is the atmos-
phcrc OF team work that spells victory
and dispels lost motion and friction.
I;ut two things are conditions precc-
dent to this enyiablc status. Each
player must be taught his particular
bit individually and each must be
trained to perform it collectively in
team work. Manfcstly. this teaching
and training Of the citizen. with the
q assistance OF intelligent laymen. is the
-or.: for the lawyer. lie must cap
cam the war behind the trenches, and
the sooner he starts the sooner the |
war will end. The military forces. both |
officer and private. arc entitled TO ard |
deserve tho moral support this mighty |
organized will power will give. n |
sorcly tried President wholly deserves |
this concrete support. America needs |
it. But above and beyond all else, the |
people themselves need il. They need |
to DC awakened, to personally partici- |
pate. that they may undergo IL real
nuickcning OF the spirit, such as WINS