Crittenden record-press., 1917-11-01
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
Military Training Necessary for Safety
and Defense.
Number Four

war III TIE ehcyclOpehu al school. We
found that In the war between Ger
many and France In lS7O-7l, Germany
lost In killed and wounded 28,OOO SOL
diers while France lost about six times
as many. and. besides that, she lost
every battle. We asked Professor Sio-
cum why this was. He said that tho
German army was highly trained and
aoiy commanded. while the French
soldiers were poorly trained and that
their war department was honey
colnbec with Jealousy and politics;
that the officers were not much good,
and that's Why France lost the war
and 30 many men What do you thluk
about It, Uncle Danr
"Nctl." said Cnci. Dan, .PrOfcssor
SOcum Is right. by inefficiency France
l"st that war. together with two Of
her best provinces-Alsace and LOr-
rsine-and had to pay q billion dol
lars indemnity money. France today
learned her lesson BY that sad expe-
henee, 30 she put In universal military
training. and as a result, her soldiers
now know how to fight and how to
protect themselves. They are losing
less men In the war than the Germans.
France also put politics out Of her war
department. 30 that expert authority.
instead Of bureaucratic stupidity, now
directs the army. The result Is.
France has ooe Of the best and most
efiicbeut armies every assembled, and
this shows what thorough training aud
good leadership means In warfare.
This saved France In this crisis. ~
well as the liberties Of the world"
"As war Is now conducted. there is
no place for an unframed man. A
body Of 10000 well trained soldiers
properly handled could defeat five
times their number Of raw recruits and
do 1t every time with comparatively |
small loss to themselves. Proper train. |
Ing alone will reduce the death and
casualty rate One-third Of what II 9th. |
erwise would be, and right here 10 an I
unanswerable argument fos universal
military training.
"Our government has no moral right
to force her men into war service
without properly training them for 1t.
To do 80 is simply murder. hence the
frantic effort that is now being made
to give her soldiers some training be-
fore they are sent to the front. II wei
are to win this war, II will take trained
men to do II, and 1t will take trained
men to win any other war that may
come upon US In the future. II wei
must fight. let rs fight to win and nOtl
to lose"
That's the stuff." said Billie.
Continuing. Uncle Dan said: -OurI
government has expended about $780,
100000 to put up environments and
trimming stations In order to train the
men called BY the selective draft.
When these men are trained the train
Ing stations should be Immediately
died with younger men. say those In
their nineteenth year. to receive six
months Of intensive military train
! ins alons the lines Of the Chamberlain
bin. This will be Of immeasurabls
benefit 20 them individually. II viii
do them more good than any other TIVE
years Of thsir whole life: II viii make
I them strong. manly. self-relisnt auick
| to sss and quick to act: It win equip
| them for Q specessful life. In short.
It will rebuild American manhood and
will also give the government body
Of trained mon to drnw from in case
It Is necessary to defend our nag and
country. We must settle this question
Of universal military training imms-
diateiy. otherwise these training campo
may be demolished. The adoption Of
universal military training will be no
tics to the world that from then on
we will be prepared to defend our
selves promptly and efficiently, and
this will do more to keep Us out Of
war In the future than anything elss
We could do" ....
"Do you think, brother" said Mrs.
Graham. "that there will ever be an
other war;
~ have no doubt about IT," said
Uncle Dan. so long as men ara
selfish. 30 long as nations are ambi-
tious TO acquire territory. 30 long AZ
population presses and demands more
room, 30 bng as there remains a
scramble for world trade-so long wars
will be. When the time comes that
we reach the high plane for which We
hope and dream, when oil will recoG
nlEe the fatherhood Of God and the
Brotherhood Of man. then. and thcu
only. will warv cease When that day
, comes doors will need no locks, banks
will need no vaults to protect theiI
treasures. but that day is a long way
OF.
The only safe and sane plan is e
be able to defend ourselves at al
times. Therefore, every citizen should
. insist that senator's and congressmct
i. shall provide for universal mllHar,
: training, 30 that never again shall IN,
i country be caught so completely un
= ready as this war found us. For
tuua,ely. In this case, our enemy hal
been held back. 80 we have had tse
mouths In which to prepare. This I'd
n vantage probably will never c>m<
|. again. II Is however our salvaaos
n today.
!, because abe was ready. Switzerias<
/ is an Island Of peace in q sea o.
o war. Safety first Is good, but safe;l