The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1917-12-12
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
Number Four
Military Training Necessary for Safety
and Defense.
Number -Four

mic and have been looking up about
war in the encyclopedia at school. We
found that in the war between Ger
many and France in 1901, Germany
lost in killed and wounded $4,000 sol
diers while France lost about six times |
as many, and besides that, she lost |
every battle. We asked Professor Slo- |
cum why this was. He said that the |
German army was highly trained and |
ably commanded, while the French
soldiers were poorly trained; and that |
their war department was honey
combed with Jealousy and politics;
that the officers were not much good,
and that's why France lost the war
and so many men. What do you think
about it, Uncle DAM"
"Well," said Uncle Dan, professor
Slocum is right. By ineficIency FRANCE
lost that war, together with two Of
her best provipces-Alsace and 1or-
raine-and had to pay a billion dol
lars indemnity money. france today
learned her lesson by that sad expe-
rience, SO she put in universal military
training, and as aresult, her soldiers
now know how to1Hgbt 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, so that expert authority,
instead of bureaucratic stupidity, now
directs the army. The result Is,
France has one of the best and most
efficient armies every assembled, and
this shows what thorough training and
good leadership means in warfare.
This saved France In this crisis, as
well as the liberties of the world"
GAS war is now conducted, there is
no place for an untraiped man. =
body of 10000 well tfained soldiers
properly handled could defeat Eve
times their number Of raw recruits and
do it every time with comparatively
small loss to themselves. Proper train
ing alone will reduce the daath and
casualty rate one-third of what 1t 9th
erwise would be, and right here Is an
unansWerabIe argument for universal
military training.
"Our government has no moral right
| to force her men into war service
without properly training them for 1t.
To do SO 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. If we
are to win this war, it will take trained
men to do it, and it will take trained
| men to win any other war that may
come upon us in the future. If we
must fight, let US fight to win and not
TO lose."
'That's the stuff" said Billie.
Continuing, Uncle Dan said: "Our
government has expended about $780,
100000 to put up cantonments and
training stations In order to train the
men called by the selecti7e draft.
When these men are trained the train
| ing stations should be Immediately
fned with younger men; say those in
their nineteenth year, to receive six
months Of intensive military train
ing along the lines of the Chamberlain
bill. This will be Of Unreasonable
benefit to them individually. 1t viii
do them more good than any other two
years Of their whole Life; It will make
them strong, manly, self-reliapt, quick
to see and quick to act; 1t will equip
them for a successful life. In short,
it will rebuild American manhood and
will also give the government body
Of trained men to draw from IN case
1t Is necessary to defend our flag and
country. We must settle this question
of universal military training impae-
diately, otherwise these training camps
may be demolished. The ADOPTION Of
universal military training WI be mo-
tice 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 else
we could do"
do you think, brother" said Mrs.
Graham, 'that there viii ever be an
other war;"
81 have no doubt about itF said
Uncle Dan. $50 long as men are
selfish, SO long as nations are Rmhi.
tious to acquire territory, sd long as
population presses and Demands more
room, so long as there reInains q
scramble for world trade--so long wars
| will be. When the time comes that
we reach the high plane for which ne
hope and dream, when all YIN keeQsf
nize the fatherhood Of God and fhe
brotherhood Of man, then, and then
only, viii wars cease, When that day
comes doors win need no locks, banks
VIII need no vaults 70 protect their
treasures, but that day "a long way
of.
1.-THE only safe and sane plan IS 70
be able to defend ourselves at Rll
times. Therefore, every citizen should
insist that senators and copgfehsmeu
shan provide for universal military
training, so that never again shah the
country be caught 50 completely IN
ready as this war found rs. For
tunateIy, in this case, our enemy has
been held back, so we haye had E fey
months in which to prepare, This ed
vantage probably win never come
/ again. It Is however pur salvsti6h
| 4odaV