The Delta independent., 1917-06-29
Edwards will have but one training

Of the drill day.
A plan has been suggested by which
the young men of the National army
may be taught something besides drill
ing and fighting. The recruits for the
new army are to come from all ele-
ments of the American, the half-Ameri-
can. and the quarter-American body.
Some of these men. many of them, In
fact, must be taught what we are fight
ing for. what 1t all means, and why
1t Is that they should be willing to
risk their lives for their country.
Army officials realize that persons
who want Germany to lick us and per
sons who do not think that there Is
any ideal in the wide world that IL
worth fighting for, say that the army
life does nothing to uplift a man. and
that 1t adds nothing to his education.
Officials hold that those who so think
do not know anything about the army.
and probably hope that they will
escape contact with 1t. especially 80
far as fighting touch with 1t Is con-
cerned.
To Be Taught Why We Are Fighting
The thousands of young soldiers who
will enter the service and who are not
well read concerning current events
and. perhaps because of environment,
have been Indifferent to them, will
be given lessons in lecture form In
American history, and with them they
will get a conception of republican
institutions and why it is they are
worth fighting the world if necessary.
to obtain.
The new army is to be a selective
army, but the chances are that the
greater part of its rank and file will
be men of the volunteer spirit. There
will be those, however. in the ranks
who will be resentful, either because
they do not like to be forced to serve
in any cause or else because they have
no realizing sense of what this war
means 10 Americans of the present
generation. and will mean to those of
the coming years.
Washington believes that the sol
diers of the whole-souled volunteering
spirit who know that this is war
against despotism, will do their own
part in the work of enlightening their
comrades who do not know much
about It," The spirit which has pos
session of majority of the soldiers in
the ranks soon takes possession of the
minority. Inspiration to those at first
Indifferent comes from contact with the
Inspired. There are scores of other
things in any army which help to make
the men as one and to keep them fight
ing with one purpose and with one
heart.
What have birds to do with war or
war with birds? The bird protectors
Of the country. men who not only
would save the birds but help to save
the crops. answer that birds have
much to do with helping nation to
win a war.
Administration officials and espe
cially those charged with helping to
stimulate food production throughout
the United States are urgent in their
desire that congress at the present
session shall pass the enabling act
which will permit the United States
government to put into instant effect
the treaty now existing with Canada
whereby the migratory birds may be
given adequate protection.
Some time ago "a treaty was entered
into with the British government by
which Canada on Its part agreed to
enforce certain regulations protect
ing migratory birds. The United
States senate ratified the treaty and
1t already has the force of law. The
difficulty in the way Of its enforce
ment is that congress has not passed
the enabling act with the necessary
provision of money to secure an ade-
quate carrying out of the terms of the
treaty In this country.
The senate committee has reported
the enabling act favorably. The house
committee has not as yet done so, but
every effort is being made to show the
committeeman the relation which eN-
lists between birds and proper con
ducting of the war and to get them
to report the bill in order that it may
become n law at this session.
President Wilson is strongly in ia
vor Of the passage of the enabling act.
The real sportsmen of the country and
ali the bird protective societies and
large numbers of the farmers insti-
tutes and other organizations are in
favor Of the passage of the act which
will give the insectivorous birds, large
numbers of which are game birds,
adequate protection during certain
seasons of the year. OF course song
birds which are insectivorous and
therefore beneficial in their lives are
protected under the provisions of law
all through the year.
Tho nfHriulS of hn hinlnut.nl
vey, which is branch of the depart
ment of agriculture, are receiving
scores of letters from all parts of the