New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-05
GREED BEGETS WARS
Civilization Will Never Free Humanity from
Danger of Them

To the Editor OF The tribune.
Sir: / have read with great interest the
recent letter from Professor Maurice Parme-
lee of the political science department OF
our City College. on "The Danger of Mill
tary Training" His arguments on the dan
ger Of universal military training are, be-
ieve, fallacous. and only show the weakness
Of the stand taken by the pacifsts.
Any person who has studied the question
at all knows that the history Of the world
is a series of wars fought mostly for the
overthrow of tyrants and the gaming OF
freedom. The liberties Of the Roman En-
pire were safe as long as every citizen was
a trained soldier, but as that nation grew
efeminate. and the people left the guarding
of the country to a large standing army theh
the people became slaves.
As long as human beings are consumed
with greed, then wars will occur Clvillza-
ton alone has not freed, and never will
free. the world from the dangers Of war.
Germany was supposed to be more highly de-
veloped intellectually than any other nation
vet the unjust and wholly unnecessary war
was precipitated by that nation, and has
shown that the people are barbarous as
their ancestors that oyerran Italy.
The pacifst is a danger and a menace TO
the country, a moral coward and traitor
who shirks his duty to MS native land.
Professor Parmelee is right in decrying
the danger of a large standing army Inc
history of the world has shown that large
standing army is a menace TO the freedom
of any country; and the only way we can
combat the danger is for every person to be
trained to arms. Then, when an army COM
mander. impellcd by ambition, undertakes 20
usurp the powers of the people the citizens
trained to arms are prepared to meet the
usurper and overthrow his power
We know large number of our military
officers. trained at public expense, are in
efficient and snobs and work to maintain the
"caste system" so largely prevailing in the
army. and who would gladly promote war
in order to secure faster promotion. Whose
fault is it that this condition is allowed
The peoples. 1t is not for the commanding
officer or the military staff to say what this
country shall do or not do-that remains for
the citizens to decide
We should demand the same efficient and
faithful service of the army officer we
demand from the civilian employe. The Of
fcer is not our lord and master, as pictured
by the pacifsts. but our servant.
If the pacifists would turn their energies
to demanding efficient service on the part
of the army officers. rather than doing away
with the power of protecting themselves, they
would accomplish something worth while, and
not make themselves ridiculous.
We need an adequate standing army and
we need a trained citizen soldlery,' not only
to see that the army keeps its place and per-
forms its legitimate duty, but also to turn
out in case of invasion.
We must recognize that wars will continue.
The Bible shows this. Therefore. we should
be prepared for wars, and If the paclhst
would honestly study the situation he would
see that our safety lay in the great citizen
reserves, the "citzen soldiery.' We should
demand universal training. Every boy in
the grammar school, in the high school and
in the colleges should be efficiently trained
in the use of arms Then our National
Guard should be made effective and retained
under the control of the people.
The whole scheme OF national defence"
was worked out nearly one hundred years
ago by Captain Alden Partridge, a graduate
of Dartmouth College and of the United
States Military Academy of the class of 1906.
He was professor at the academy from 1906
to 1915, and the fourth superintendent. serv-
ing from 1915 to 1917. lie resigned from the
army in 1918 to devote his life to the per-
fectng of his plan of education and the
training of a citizen soldiery lie founded
Norwich University in 1919, tho first techn-
cal college in the English speaking world and
the first school for the training of the "cit-
zen sodiery." He was the first officer and
educator to recommend practical plan for
the preservation of our liberties. His lect-
ures on Education" and National Defence"
delivered in the early Dos. are, even at
this date in advance of the best thought Of
our educators and military authorities.
These lectures are long out OF print. but
can be consulted at the New, York Public
Library, and will repay the study by every
educator and military writer who wants to
be "up to date" WILLIAM A. ellis.
New York, Feb. %, 1917.