The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-05-04
SELECTINE
CONSCRIPTION.

Now don't get ugly and criticise
your representatives in Washington
for passing the selectivo conscription
act, as we heard one unthinking ad-
vocate of the volunteer plan do the
other day. y
Rather stop and put Your thinking
apparatus in motion. let it run unin-
terruptedly for ten minutes and get
the result.
The United States needs large
amy Immediately, if not sooner.
Immediately in this case means sew
eral months hence, the time required
at best to select and train the men
who are to constitute this army.
No great war has ever been fought
without one or both parties using
conscription early or late. The
present selective conscription plan IS
not the draft or conscription Of the
past. 1t is not a measure to take the
unwilling or the coward.
The volunteer system di2rupts our
industrial foundation. 1t saves the
coward and the "slacker,' hut takes
the willing patriot. The volunteer
svstc1a coerces by scornful glances
and the finger Of contempt. Every
one who does not enlist runs the dan
ger Of being considered "slacker."
The selective consc,irt system as
sumes that ell men are rHtriots. 1t
recornizes the equal liability of ell,
regardless of station, to arrWer the
countrv's call 1t uses modern cen
sus and efficiency methods instn9d Of
haphazard choice. All citizens owe
to their country in this crisis such
service as is most effectual. Under
the volunteer plan soroc 90 to tirht
who would render better service if
tbev remained on thcir Jobs: others
fail to go who could well he spared
The volunteer system IS based on
sentiment; the selectivn cOnscriDtion
plan is one Of pure business method.
The selective draft proposes to Sc
lcct from all the availchlr milit0rv
force of the country. Every stHte
in tic union will he required to fur
nish its quota Of soldiers b9sod on the
popul?tion of each state 9nd thr0u"h
the local tribunals and other admin
istrative machinery its provisions
provide for exemption Of all whose
services are necessary to make an
efficient mobilization Of the resources
of the nation. and only those taken
who ere best fitted for military SER
vice.
Under its system of enrolment no
one is stigmatized. All are to be
treated with equality. Under this
system the soldier, the miner. the
farmer. the mechanic, the clerk. inch
and poor alike. are all selected by the
government and placed whore each
can give the greatest service with
out injury to any class engaged IN
the service. All who ere enrolled ore
to be utilized and mobilized as the
nations protectors in that service IN
which thew can do the most good
Those who will march to the front
in battle will be the government $
soldiers esrecially selected for that
purpose. They wear badge Of
honor and become the representatives
of the United States on the battle
line -,
Our own Senator Fletcher has said
that "thc volunteer system is lnseo-
erah1e from viciors fAvoritlsm. Its
tendency is to shift the burden from
those who ought to hear it to those
who, for the good Of the nation, ought
not to 90 into that service"
Tho sclprtive conscriut system IS
based on the principle that every cit'-
zen owes an obligation of service to
his country. especially in its time
Of rrrort need. And there can be
Mn donhtiro the RIGHT of the govern
mont under the constitution to REQUIRE
such onrvce Of it's citizens in return
for the nrotection he has been af-
forded under that same constitution.