Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-27
Trifling With the Nations Safety.

and talk about pride and punctilio and ask
Germany to wait two years until can make
experiments to see whether organize
volunteer army? l am unwilling that
the flower of our youth the chivalry, the
bravery, the honesty of the country shall vol
unteer and go ahead and risk their lives. while
the less patriotic allowed to slack and
shirk and stay home
These two lines from a speech by Representa-
tive William c. Adamson, of Georgia, in support or
the Administrations selective draft bill forcefully
up the practical necessity for that measure
and the justice of its underlying principle. Persons
who insist upon trying out the volunteer system
before adopting the draft plan ignore the aI-im-
portant fact that we in the midst of war, the
most far-reaching and momentous war of history
and that indulge in experiments at this juncture
would be perilously foolish If to play the
part which duty and honor lay upon us we must
plan for an army of least two million and if
the war is prolonged that number must be doubled
or multiplied still further occasion may require
An attempt to raise two million soldiers under
system OF impusive, indiscriminate volunteering
would result in of two things dangerous
Reorganization of industrial forces, miser-
able failure to get the numbers needed And we
should find ourselves at the end of a year. what
period wasted on the volunteer plan, no
better prepared than today.
The fact is however, that the volunteer sys-
tenn has been tried extensively in this in other
and has proved ineffective as it is unfair
Congress could insist just reasonably that blum
derbusses be given another trial before providing
the army with modern guns to insist that
wholly discredted plan of raising troops be given
another trial before adopting approved and depend
able methods. The volunteer system brought Eng
land to the brink of disaster. There was no diff
Guilty in getting recruits because the nearness of
he fe-an which
overshadowed the empire kindled vast fervor
OF patriotism. But indiscriminate recruiting
CARELESS of the needs of industry and agriculture
turned out be much of menace in prac-
teal way as widespread indifference would have
been. Munition plants and farms and divers other
fields of productive service, indispensable to the
maintenance of the fighting forces, stripped
of needed workmen, while slackers and idlers kept
shamlessly and useessly at home. In
quence England found it necessary to pause in
the midst of the and completely reorganize
her industrial machinery. 1t is especially impor-
tant that we avoid this blunder because the dura-
tion and even the outcome of the war depend very
largely upon industrial efficiency, upon
success in supplying England and France with food
and other necessaries at the time that
are raising army.
The selective draft is the only fair plan we'll
as the only efficient plan of raising army for
the individual. 1t places all of military age
and fitness on the same footing of patriotic obl-
CATION, regardless of wealth social position
any incidental distinction. 1t assumes that all
citizens wish to the country and assigns
those who selected to the fields of duty where
they can serve best. In his highly emotional at
tack the Administration army BILL Speaker
Clark exhibited some very curious opinions on
courage and honor. Il protest." he shouted,
against having the slur of being conscrpt be-
ing placed upon the men of Missouri" We cannot
imagine the loyal of Missouri protesting
against being chosen for their countrys defense,
any more than imagine the loyal men of
Georgia Virginia New York protesting.
Speaker Clark's sensitive solcitude for the
honor of the American youth smacks suspciously
of gallery-play politics. The American youth who
have honor planted deep in their hearts are not
fearful of its being slurred" by intelligent sys
tenn of raising an army. The slackers are the only
ones who are sensitive that score. The fact is
the volunteer system is outrageously unfair to
brave men. just it is outrageously unfair and
dangerous the nation.
The foreign commissioners probably realize nv