The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-15
ll6DaEblEsSb0DY
SENDS out Letter
Argument for Universal Mill
tary Training Is
Advanced.
HISTORY is GIVEN
Federal Government Gradu-
ally Surrendered Right
to Enforce Training.
HISTORY is GIVEN

The foiloWing letter mas been sen,
to the editors Of all newspapers by the
secretary of the conference committee
on national preparedness
The federal government was formed
by the 10 colonies expressly for the
purpose OF enabling them to make a
common defense. IT became defensive
union. Under the constitution the fed
eral government not only guaranteed
each state against invasion. but it for
bade each to maintain troops or ships
of war" except with the consent of
the federal government
Thus, the states surrendered into the
hands of the federal government guar
anteed to each state security from in
vasion or instruction.
To make good its guarantee Of Sc
curity. congress. in 1892. enacted that
all able bodied male citizens. between
the ages of IS and As. should constitute
the military forces of the nation. and
it made each liable to military service
within the confines of the United
States. This still is the law, as
perusal of section 81. OF the Act Of
June 3, 1916. will show.
In order that universal liability to
service should be made effective. con-
gross. under the law Of 1896, re- enact
cd in 1908. and widened in 1915 to in
clude the national guard and it's re-
serve. gave to the president the power
to call for service the entire male cit
izenry of military age and fitness in
the event OF invasion or instruction.
This power the president may exercise
without further act Of congress.
Thus, the federal government was
created for the military purpose of de-
tending the states, its president was
made commander in chief Of the army
and navy, it's first president was mil
itary man. and it's citizens Of proper
age and fitness were bound each to
fight in the common defense. 1t will
therefore be seen that at the root we
are essentially a military nation. in
the democratic sense of the phrase, and
that we are subject, today as ever. to
compulsory military service within our
own territory. upon call Of the COM
mander- in chief.
This is a sufficient answer to those
who claim that, in our making the
necessary modern preparations for de-
Tense. we are departing from nom
military traditions, to become mill
taristic people.
While the act Of 1892 made every
man Of military age and fitness liable
to federal military service, it delegated
to the several states the military Or
ganization of these 1ucn: and it granted
to the states the power to make ex-
emptions. ,9,'-
The history OF New York, which Is
in this respect. substantially that of
all the states, Illustrates how badly
the states fulfilled the military duties
laid upon them by the federal govern
mcnt. In New York there was at first
an annual enrolment. In 1886 the leg
islature granted exemption from mill
tary duty to everyone upon payment OF
fee of IS cents a year. Enrollmcnts
were then made to occur bi-annually:
next. to occur at every fifth year and,
finally. enrollments were to be had
only upon call OF the governor No
governor, | believe, ever has called an
enrolment. Meanwhile, the non serv-
ice tax was reduced to 80 cents. and
shortly thereafter it was abandoned.
Thus died the federal militia, which
had been created for the national de-
Tense
During the disintcgration OF the
federal militia a volunteer force spranr
Up. as protest against the military
laXity OF the authorities. This force
was accepted and subsidized by the
states. and became what is known as
the National Guard. Having no stand
ing under the federal law the guard
was a body wholly local in character,
and was not recognized bv the federal
government until early in the present
century
Th" constitution, Whit" fnrhidding
the states to maintain troops or Ships
OF war (without the consent Of con-
etess) had bound the federal govern
meni to defend the states from inva-
sion, and III" federal government. in
1'92, had provided the national force
already dcsCrih"d to carry cut this
purpose. But this force, us We. have
seen. the states have permitted 70
die; and IN It's stead each had Gre
ated for its protection a little army Of
It's own, called national guard, and
IN so doing had tahCr over from the
federal government its own defense
to be maintained at It's own cost, and
had assumed also the duty Of defend
ing the federal governments Thus had
the federal government and the states
exchanged places. in their military, ,r.
lationship.
The consequences Of this surrender
of military power by the nation are
now seen to be exceedingly hazardous
to the national welfare, to be- nearly
insupportable by the state, on account
of the heavy financial burdens involved
and to be ineqnitablc to thos, who
compose these little state armies
There is, therefore substantial agree