The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1917-03-16
MILITARY TRAINING IN THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEING URGED
BIG FIGHT PLANNED IN OPPOSITION

The Association for National Service has
Just announced that a campaign is under
way to secure the passage of law for
compulsory military training by the next
Congress A movement is also on foot to
enact laws for compulsory military train
ing in schools in every state that holds a
legislative session this winter. This
means that the country is to see another
campaign of preparedness"
The Value of Short Memory
The same men who are now the cham
pions Of compulsory military training for
all male citizens were the promoters of
the increased army program last year.
At that time they said they were opposed
to militarism. They only wanted larger
army for defense. Having led the people,
or rather Congress, into the first step, they
now depend upon the people to have for
gotten what they said a year ago. They
now boldly espouse the cause of Conscrip-
ton and Militarism.
The Lesson Of Australia
The time has arrived when the people of
the United States must think for them
selves They have been blind followers too
long The defeat of the consumption bill
in October, 1916, in Australia, should be a
lesson to America. Military training was
introduced into Australian schools a few
years ago. 1t was enforced by fines and
imprisonments. Public sentiment rapidly
grew for it's repeal. Then the war came
The government, after two years of war,
attempted to pass Consumption Law. 1t
was submitted to the people for ratifica-
ton. With their experiences with COM
pulsory school training and its autocratic
oppression they defeated the CONSUMPTION
Bill, even tho they were engaged in war.
Governor Brumbaugh Against School
Training
In February, 1915, in reply to a letter
inauiring as to his position, Governor
Brumbaugh, Of Pennsylvania, said: ST
have never felt that it was right to have
military drill in the public schools.
The school is essentially a preparation for
life in its broad sense, and not place to
train our individuals for possible and, let
us hope improbable service"
Last year, when New Jersey was debat-
ing the matter in the legislature, William
A. Wetzel, principal of the Trenton High
School, addressed a letter to the State
Senate, in part as follows:
"Some men say that the example Of Ger
many proved not only the value but the
necessity Of such training. In the first
place, Germamy's military training Is IN
no toGy connected aoith her public schools.
Military training in Germany does not
begin until the boy has left school and
has become a man. In the second place,
Germany's military efficiency Is simply an
incident in the general program of Ger
many's efficiency. Germany is efficient in
her public life, in her commerce, in her
industries, in her schools, in all her activi-
lies, because organized thought underlies
all these activities.
"Other men cite Switzerland to prove
that we should have compulsory military
training in our schools But the first thing
that one learns in study of this system
is that here again there is no contact at
all between the schools and military train
ing. Shooting is the national pastime in
Switzerland, just as baseball is our
rational sport, and there are some volum-
Mry, not compulsory, military organiza-
tons among Swiss schoolboys held to-
gether by this national pastime. But the
military training of the S1oiss youth does
not begin until he Is 20 years DID,
No Military Country Trains School
boys
"Other countries. like France, Austria