Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-07-30
The Honor of The Draft

The Chicago Tribune believes that draft day
should be recognized by being made day of pa
triotic celebration.
If this be true Of the draft day. there wOul'
seem to be little or no ground for failure to Observ
Registration day by quitting whatever bushes
might interfere with the work to be done and tn
patriotism to be fired on that day.
The Tribune gives a splendid statement of tn
principle of the draft which every citizen ma
well read. mark learn and nwardv digest. Tn
Tribune says:
The day numbers are drawn for the first Amer
lean draft since 1853 should be made day Of
patriotic celebration.
That day will be historic. 1t will the per-
formance Of solemn act Of state of the highest
dignity and consequence. By this act the worlds
mightiest republic, the world greatest community
Of free men, will nominate those of its citizens
who are to be its defenders the field OF battle
This in such a democracy ours is an august
expression Of the orderly will Of q free people
moving for their security and welfare through
law enacted by their representatives in the exer-
else OF the peoples sovereignty. 1t does not differ
- from the call for volunteers except as any other
due process Of law is different from the process
Of private initiative. We do not adopt the volun
teer system for jury service. When there is riot
or other public service our laws permit the draft
ing Of citizens for the common service. We do
not rely upon volunteers to pay taxes All of these
functions are not only necessary to a civilized
cfety; they are honorable in the highest degree.
The principle of the draft has been abused and
distorted by sentimentalists and mischiec makers
In other republics it has been recognized to be
what 1t Is, the orderly expression of the highest
duty of citizenship. In despotism it is a
preston of the will of the despot. In a democracy
like ours 1t is the expression of the peoples WILL
formulated by the peoples representatives like
other laws we bind ourselves by our citizenship to
obey.
The draft in free state is therefore voluntary
In the final sense the expression Of col
lective will. Every who is drafted feel
that he is taking up service by his will. He
has willed to be American citizen He has
wiled to partake in and obey the laws enacted for
the common welfare by himself and his fellow ct-
Gems through their chosen representatives. A free
man expresses his freedom in free country by
obeying the laws he his fellow freemen have
made.
There has been deal of buncombe and vicious
fallacy spread abroad to defeat the draft Com
mon sense will clear it away. The draft of
crat IL an act Of despotism The draft of republic
is the will Of the people, conveying the highest
sponsibility and therefore the highest honor upon
the citizens whom it calls
Let the drafted man, therefore, receive the
lutte Of the nation. The republic has called him in
its great need. 1t has given Linn the accolade.
Freedom has named him her knight, and he goes
to fight as his heroic predecessors fought for the
Stars and Stripes in the wars of the republic
II the drafted is not proud to be called to
the colors he does not lelong to the great tradition
Of American freemen. But confident he will
be proud and that the republic will have cause to
be proud of him.