The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-06-02

A:icr wasting over tvc weeks ~
enact Il measure whlrh ought !" ha'"
been put throuSA-in the week follow
inc ;hc outbreak 0t Tn" war. congress
has virtually decided To iucrcaa" tn"
iitnd ;urr"- al the United States Il"
L9uu. 0up mon. 4 nra loriiE OF whlrh ar"
Ia be- raised on the principle ri uni
vrrsal liability IL military sorry Ice.
Had this measure been put through
promptly after the converting rl The
rN;ra session Of Uunggr>. along The
lines laid down in President Wilson'S
address il would have been better. rs
il Is the world has witnessed an almost
unique spectacle OF a nation SunE TO
war for right alone, without seeking
material advantage IN the shape Ut
territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or CONNER
cat advantages. An equally chi I'd
ordinary spectacle Is ihal of Il natIun
haVln. the good scnSr 10 prnhL By
lhr blunG"rs Of one OF its allies. aud
putting in operation immediately. that
system Of compulsory training and
SERVICE which England took TWO years
and half 10 effect and which neither
Canada nor Australia have yet put
into operation.
izn that in war onr Of the most ?alu-
able elements i time. and that one
OF the greatest factors Of success Is
tho ability To act promptly. The house
and srnaiC have agreed on SclcCtlNn
CONSUMPTION and this system. il wisely
carried out, will prevent many of the
plumbers committed by Treat Britain.
For example, by adhcrinc TO the volun-
rary system England permitted men
10 volunteer and 10 b. enlisted who
should have been retained al home in
ShipyardS. munnion plants. and In
other industries equally essential TO
rhr proper conduct Of war. As ii re
suit, she found herself obliged To re-.
call from III" front moTC than "1N.H
in such trades and. in many eases.
those mon had been uselcS$ly Killed al
the front. before they could be r.
turned to England.
The only sound method vet devised
whereby a nation can put forth lis full
strength in time Of war is by tho
obUcation OF training and service. II
is. moreover. the most democratic "(
all systems because every one, hlSh
and low, rich and poor. alike. is called
upon 10 do his share. Since Tho man.
powcr--and. II necessary. the woman
power - Of the nation l. 10 BE- con
Scripted. It is manitestly unjust T."
authorizes volunteers who will seize
every opportunity to point Il finger OF
Scorn ut the "ConScriDtS." ana thus
rngcndrr no rnd Of unnecessary feel.
Ing. The advocates Of the measure 10
send volunteers "a rance ClaFim that
il will enable such Il force Of vOlun-
tnovS to he sent TO France moro
quickly than by any other method.
This claim is prcpostnrous. Neither
volunteers nor any other force can
be sent abroad until they arc first
armed by the ordnance department
and equipped by the Quartermast"r
corps. This can be done just rs
quickly and effectively by mon raised
through conScription as by volunteer
Ing. Since speed Ia so essential Il
factor the method 10 utilize troops
already enrolled. organized. instructed
and eQuipped--in other words. tn"
regular troops, is the proper ono. The
president has just ordered tho raising
nf the five incremcntS authorized for
The regular army by the national l".
Tense act nj June ., 1915. which. as
have stated in previous articles. will
give 4 force Of 1l.942 officers and