The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-28
GERMAN TONGUE PAPERS URGING
 DRAFTING PLAN
Practically Unitde for Com plete Preparedness and
 Strong Nationalism.

This is indicated in telegrams and letters received from even the paci- fist strongholds of the middle West, where in the great agricultural com munities, which were largely settled by peace-loving German immigrants in the last century, William Jennings Bryan and other pacifist leaders found their largest following. Editorial expression of German lan- guage newspapers in that part of the country indicates that the German Americans are drifting away from the unpreparedness programme of the ul- tra-paciflsts, and need only strong leadership to ring out even what poli- ticians have regarded as impossible demand for a powerful navy from the landlocked farming communities of the upper Mississippi valley. Regret Delay in Plan. The Cincinnati "Freie Presse," which has adopted as it's editorial motto the words, "In republic the supreme law is public welfare" ac- knowledges it adherence to the ad- ministration's military plans. The Milwaukee "Germania Herold" says: we have advocated universal military service for this country, bas- CO OA I10 SWISo Plou, 4O1 44c4Ay J ySe~A S'
 Had it been introduced years ago there would now be no trouble over
 sselective conscription' in the case of emergency"
 The Detroit "Abendpost" wishes to voluntary plan to have a chance, but does not oppose conscription. Under date of April 12 it says editorfally: s.'In certain circles an inclination is observed to allude to the civil war as a precedent. Those so inclined for get that times have changed. A sena- tor recently remarked that this is a war of patriotism and not of commer- cial profit. As 8, matter of fact. it is both, and in so far as it Is a war for trade, it is of the most exacting and cold-blooded type.
 It is not necessary to await the putting into effect of compulsory ser vice. Recruits can offer their ser vices to the regular army of their own volition. The navy also needs men. We cannot see why the volun- teer system should not have an oppor-
 tunity to prove it's worth Pledges German-Americans
 The influential St. Louis t'Westliche Post' is somewhat non-committal It lauds Speaker Clark's stand, but only on the ground that it evidences an in- dividual opinion fearlessly expressed. It does not state its position, in so many words, on the question of con- scription, but its support of the ad- ministration and its measures is un- qualified.
 It alludes to the fact that German Americans have always been good Americans, and promises in their name that they will do their duty under any and all circumstances.
 The Denver 'sHerold." Chicago "Abendpost," St. Louis "Amerika," bune," and, as a matter of fact. prac- man newspapers are strongly behind the President.
 Boston offers the only determined opponent to conscription. We be- lieve," says the "Anzeiger," of that city, that selective conscription would result in a total failure at pres ent." The reasons for this. belief are not given.
 Ridder Urges COnscription
 The New, Yorker Staats-Zeitung" has long been a proponent of univer- sal service in the United States, and AS t0Se~AAOA4Ay 0O SOunys u nOS OIIy COu- demns the voluntary system as inef- ficacious. but denounces the recruit ing campaigns which attend upon it as a menace to the country. Bernard H. Ridder, in a signed editorial ar ticle, says:
 "As between conscription and re- crufting campaign to raise volunteer army of two or even one million men in this country under the economic and industrial conditions at present obtaining in 1t. only the ignorantly sentimental can hesitate to choose the | former as the lesser of two evils,
 Description asks no questions and answers none. It demands, and takes. 1 A recruiting campaign. on the other hand, is campaign of advertising, | which. experience teaches is never en- tirely separated from an extravaganza of speech and invective which uIti- mately leads to the porcer or nate and often passes it.
 There is not inconsiderable num- Der of otherwise intelligent and un- questionably patriotic people in this country who will sing the praises of the voluntary system with its insep- arable recruiting campaigns, and ob- struct the introduction of universal military service.
 Compulsion Always Present
 Seemingly their only argument | against the latter method of raisingl and maintaining military force of proper dimensions is based on the | element of compulsion which it con tains.
 They fail to recognize that the same element of coercion is present in the voluntary system, and in a | much less desirable form The com pulsion of the~recruiting orator falls unevenly, and in many cases unjustly. | on but a part of the nation. That of | a conscription law falls evenly and justly on all.'
 The "Staats-zeitung' is not alone among the metropolitan German newspapers to advocate conscription and universal military service. The "New Yorker Herold' announces it's position in these words:
 "Conscrtption must come. line New Yorker Herold" has been in favor of conscription, principally as a measure of social economy. when all our con- temporaries indignantly spurned it as undemocratic.
 We shall not discuss the question why young Americans will not enlist. The fact is there-that is enough. No. volunteers enrolling, conscription must come, and the sooner it is in- troduced the better it will be for the country.
 we are of the opinion that every