New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-07
Conscription's Success

What might be called moving picture '"O
atricaIitv. That has never been absent
before in our attempts to raise armies. IL
was Mr.. Bryans boast in his paciilst days
that 100000 Americans would leap TO
arms overnight if war threatened us.
rbov would have made tremendous clat-
.er about it in that case-an incomparaoiy
Greater clatter than was made on Tues
dav. when more than 100000 men were
nut at the governments disposal with less
excitement than usually accompanies an
ordinary state or local election.
What a contrast this noiseless and mat
.,,of-fac+ call 10 arms offers to the old
.eyerish, drum corps methods of volun-
toerjnr No exhortation, no artificial en-
tbusiasm. no poster advertising, no mass
bvsteria. Only the quiet pressure OF
law Of universal incidence, democratic IN
form and spirit, and therefore respected
oven bv the conscripts who are to be the
first to bear its burdens. No greater tri-
umph for the conscription principle could
no imagined than this sober and cheerful
accordance of it bv a nation which less
than a year ago seemed welded to the
noisy. wasteful, haphazard and ineqm-
table volunteer theory.
Consumption was supposed to be too I'M
dramatic and too commonplace a method
TO appeal to the restless, excitement
loving American. He would answer the
call of 4 Paul Revere, it was said. But he
would not take kindly to going quietly into
q booth by governmental order and writing
his name down as defender of his coun-
try. All that romantic nonsense has now
been exploded. With calmness and
whole-hearted appreciation of the value OF
tho new method for which the nation was
rardly prepared the American conscript
las dedicated himself to service-a service
which he knows is necessary and which
he will perform all the more faithfully
because he realizes that it is distributed
intelligently and equally.
Despite all forebodngs, due to the pres
cnce here Of so large an element Of Ger
man blood and sympathies, the country is
entering this war more united in feeling
than il has been in any other Of its wars,
the war with Spain being a possible ex-
ception. We could not have had ma
tional draft in the Revolutionary War. A
large and influential part of our pop
ulation was Tory. 1t was loyal to King
George, and suffered and fought for him.
Another large part of the able-bodied colo
nists could not be induced to fight except
for brief terms as state militia. 1t was
beyond the power of the Continental Con-
gress to compel service, and the American
armies from Bunker Hill to Yorktown were
consequently in a chronic state Of flux and
dissolution.
In the War of 1912 New England held
aloof. Her leaders talked of seeding be-
3 cause they had no interest in the war or
its objects. New England would have
y resisted Federal CONSUMPTION; and the
volunteer militia principle was still so
popular that real armies could not be gath
cred and those which were assembled
proved Indispensable The United States
sank TO the lowest depth of military in
efficiency in the War Of 1912.
The war with Mexico had only half
hearted support in the Northern States
The people Of those states felt that it was
being waged for the purpose Of strength
enng the South and extending the slave
system. A national draft would have been
political impossibility. Lowell's "Big-
low Papers spoke the mind Of most Of the
North on the Mexican adventure. The
strong anti-slavery element would have
rothing 10 do with it.
In the Civil War the North was far from
united. The Copperheads and the Knights
Of the Golden Circle wanted to sec the
South win. They worked against the Lin
coin Administration and fought the draft
when it was attempted. Consumption
failed and had 70 be given up, after yield
ing very small percentage Of enlistments.
The South was little more fortunate. II
drafted into service for the war all its
soldiers who had enlisted for shorter terms
But it never succeeded in conscripting the
population in it's mountain areas.
In this war our people arc really united
They are ready 20 do their duty. The ten
millions and more who qualified for service
on Tuesday are already at the govern
nlent's disposal. The minute percentage
Of real slackers will be rounded up. Public
opinion is practically unanimous in dc