Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1917-02-23
COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAIN
;. ING IN THE SCHOOLS

b]O0A~~S
'Although the secretary's minutes
of the meeting Of the Commercial club
only note that motion was passed
favoring compulsory PHYSICAL train
ing in the schools for which credits
be given, it was understood by 4 1'um-
Der who voted either for or against
the motion, that as amended, it called
for compulsory MILITARY training in
the schools. The Herald editor is
very much in favor Of physical train
ing, and believes that it is quite es-
sential in the upbuilding of our citi-
zenship and the nation. Good sound
bodies make for good cleal men. We
believe that proper physical training
is far superior to that obtained by
military drill. In case of need in the
nations defense men are not picked
because they have smattering Of
military knowledge, but because they
are physically able. It seems to us
that military training in the schools
would be of little value as "prepar-
edness' measure, but would tend to
instill into the students whose minds
at this time are receptive, the mill
tary spirit, and this body, added to
by following generations, would make
militarism the national ideal. The
school system today, as we understand
it, is to graduate the youth so that
he has individuality and is dependent
upon his own resources in the battle
of life. The military idea is the op-
posite, tending toward the youth los
ing his own initiative. The idea may
be good in time of war, but will it
tend toward the good of the individ-
ual and the nation in times Of peace,
the latter condition which we all ex-
pect to prevail. We do not consider
the military ideal essential to patriot
ism.
AS the matter is no doubt of real
interest we are below running a num-
Der Of opinions by men and women
of the country who have given the
question. serious thought:
q =
Address, in part, Of Mrs. Amos r.
=: Pinchot; Jan: Z, 1917, at the Labor
Forum in Washington: There are two
classes who demand military training
in the schools. Those who sincerely
feel that we need it, and those less
sincere who are demanding it for ul.
terror objects. We may ali agree with
the first group in holding physical
training to be desirable, but we can
not gain the desired ends through mil
ltary instruction. Suppleness, quick
ness of physical reaction, individual
judgment, swift decision, accurate CO.
operation between physical and men
tai faculties under unusual or trying
circumstances are stimulated little, if
at all, by military training. On the
contrary. they are effectively discour-
aged. BY giving all American boys
gymnastics in the open air and plen-
ty OF opportunities to play games
more will be done for them in a year
than military training will ever do.
This is the opinion of such experts on
physical culture as DR.. Sargent of
Harvard, Sir William Aitkin, profess
sor Of pathology in the army medical
school in England, Dean Russe44 of the
Teachers college, and others.
80 much for those who from sincere
motives ask for this training. But
there are othe 8 who cloak selfish de-
signs by all appeal to patriotism.
They want docile, submissive pub
lie, trained to obedience, accustomed
to take orders, subservient to their
masters in the factory, while putting
down a strike, or in backing up the
demands in foreign lands of our great
commercial interests. The present
army system is such that only com.
paratively small number of men are
attracted either through love of adj
venture or lack Of a job. And there
fore interested parties want out young
people to be so framed that they will
be mentally prepared and legally fore
ed to accept army service willy -nilly.
To accomplish their end, they most
unscrupulously raise the bug-besr Of
possible attack by foreign nations.
General Scott backed up his demand
for an army Of four million by citing
the danger of our undefended Cana.
dian frontier, the very thing which
has been cause of just pride for the
past hundred years.
The advantage Of disci pine is an
other oft-used argument of the mill
tarlst. But military discipline is not
real discipline. The real thing is vol
untary, intelligent and creative. The
military imitation is the reverse. It
substitutes deferential submissivcness
to authority for voluntary cooperation
ON the one hand and develops tvran-
ny towards interiors on the other. It
creates tendency to accent ready
made opinions handed down from
above. It encourages imitativeness
and destroys individual judgment and
conscience.
Leibnitz said: 'Less than a GEN.
fury is required for complete change
in the mentality of a nation.D With
universal military service and with the
addition of military training of the
young, this period could undoubtedly
be much shortened. So that, if this
policy is carried through, we can look
forward in our lifetime to a great
change. This change would be moth.
ing less than substituting for the in
dividual mind the standardized disci-
pine thinking-one opinion held by
the mass of military trained men; one
point of view, the military one, &C.
cepted submissively and unanimously
bv the minds prepared to receive Of
fetal truth from above; one reaction
Of horror at the thought that our ma
tional prestige may suffer, followed
by one Impulse to avenge. In other