The Washington herald., 1917-04-27
A ConscriptiOnist.
New York Timea.l


The principle of draft, which simply
Is involuntary or enforced service, is
not new. Il has been praoticed in all
ages OF the world. 1t was well known
to the trainers of our Constitution as
one Of the modes Of raising armies, at
the time they placed In that instrument
the provision that the Congress shall
have power to raise and support armies" ."
II had been used just before in estab-
fishing our independence, and was also
used under the Constitution in 1912.
Wherein is the peculiar hardship now?
Shall We shrink from the necessary
means to maintain our free government
which our grandfathers employed to es-
tablish II and our own fathers have
already employed to maintain IL? Are
we degenerate? Has the manhood OF our
race run out?'
The "mIlitarist" who wrote these words
was named Abraham Lincoln. He wrote
them in the draft excitement Of the civil
war. Senator Chamberlain, Of Oregon,
quotes them in a report to the SEN
ate. Mr.. Lincoln spoke OF the draft law
as one OF a class of laws whose OBJ
ject in to distribute burdens or benefits
on the principle OF equality" and Of
the dificultiss in the administration of
the draft laws. The draft acts OF 1863
permitted exemptions and inequalities
which were ODNlOhb itSthANus
forced service not on a basis Of alb
solute equality was still strongly de-
Tended by Mr.. Lincoln ConscTiption
was necessary. He had to take II in the
form that Congress prescribed. The Sc
lectlve draft is universal, not to be evaded
by money.
Another passage in Mr.. Lncoln's "Ad-
dress to the American People" for such
was the document prepared by him, but
not issued at the time. and subsequently
printed from the manuscript. has a con-
temporary application and sting:
You who do not wish to be soldiers
do not like this law. This is natural,
nor does 1t imply want Of patriotism.
Nothing can be so just and necessary
as to make US like II II It is disa greeabls
to US. We are prone. too. to find false
arguments for opposing such disagree
able things. In this case, those who
desire the rebellion to succeed, and others
who seek reward in a different way. are
very active in accommodating US with
this class of arguments"
Eager for Peace.
(BufaIo Evening NswS)
Again we are treated to a line OF
peace talk emanating from Count Won
Reventlow. who in an article in the
Deitsche Tages Zietung is reported by
II
efforts OF a separate Russian peace
have somewhat subsided, but the gov
ernment seems again to be setting its
hopes toward the United States"
Which may be accepted as. another
attempt to draw a red herring across
the trail.
This statement Of Won Reventlow's
may be eagerly seized upon by the paci-
fists and used as a text for delaying
our war preparations.
But we cannot imagine any one who
is at all in touch with current events
or has a memory worth anything CIV
ing credence to such peace chatter.
The best advice is Beware Of the
Greeks bearing gifts
1t is plain that Germany would gain
by any device that would act as a brake
upon our activity in the matter of rails
ing an adequate army and navy or in
aiding our allies.
But do not facts show that Germany
entertains no notions Of an early peace
with US?
Are not German plotters busy here?
Are thsre not German U-boats sinking
our ships? Does not Gerard bring with
him warnings OF Germanys intentions
toward US?
Americans should suffer nothing to dis
guise the fact that we are in for a
serious struggle and that peace talk is
empty subterfuge.
We are glad to note that the maEni-
tude Of the task we have taken in hand
is being realized. ="
Americans of German Birth.
kansas ug star.)