The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-04-23

a
the country can be called as they shall
be needed according to an equal and just
system, and 1t has these merits:
Il. 1t spreads the burden of military
preparation equally throughout the Unit
| ed States.
"2. 1t is certain in it's operation, so
that after the registration is made ev-
cry man in the country will know wheth-
er he is to be called and when he is to
be called upon, allowing those who are
not to be called, or whose call is to con-
time their normal pursuits, undisturbed
by certainty as to their duty and unagi-
tated by neighborhood pressure or mis-
understanding.
ut starts at the beginning of the ac-
emulation of these new forces, and has
none of the character of penalty which
attaches to the draft when it is used
after volunteering has been tried and
failed.
IL have studied every report / can
secure of the use of the volunteer sys-
tenn abroad and in our own country, and
| believe it to be true that in every place
where it has been tried, whatever success
it has had has been due to system of
compulsions more harrassing and almost
as drastic as the provisions of law it.
self. In the countries of Europe, where
the volunteer system has obtained, those
responsible for it were excused because
they could not have foreseen at the be-
ginning the results, but we have their
experience to guide us, and | believe
that those responsible in this country
for repeating ,he costly errors which
have been made abroad will not be able
to make that explanation.
with the greatest Difference to the
rights and independence of Judgment of
your committee and the House, ] still
feel obliged, as secretary of war, AMI
therefore your responsible adviser on
this subject, to urge the passage of the
bill as drawn. This is the greatest war
in the history of the world. Our partici- |
patton in it is as yet undetermined in |
many of its modes and wholly as to its |
duration and extent, but we are called |
upon to inaugurate system which, in |
any event or contingency, will place our
country in a situation where it can con-
tribute the trained men and the means
to bring this war to con-
,lusion which will mean a vindication of
The principles upon which we entered it.
In conclusion, / beg TO assure you
hat | have no alarm on the subject OF
militarism in America. Militarism is a
it is the designation given
% a selfish or ambitious political system
which uses arms as a means of accom-
1lishing its objects. The mobilization and
lrming of democracy in defense of the
principles upon which it is founded and
n vindication of the common rights OF
men in the world is an entirely different
hing"
Supplementing Secretary Bakers let
er the minority report says the mem
,ers of the committee are laymen and
dds: "In this great crisis we deem it
o be our patriotic duty in this matter
# increasing temporarily the military
establishment OF the United States TO |
ollow the counsel of the commander
hef of our country and his expert ad :
isers" {
OF the place for volunteers in the ad- ,
plan the minority says: ,
Some OF those who favor the volunteer I
NSUeHl poIib uub Wlbu pliuc w tht AaS"
hat | 900 volunteers are enlisting every :
ay at the present time. According to ,
letter from the secretary of war to g
he chairman of the committee, T24,7lS {
olunteers win be required for our reg /
lar army and the national guard organ Q
.ations. 1t would, therefore, take 724
avs, including Sundays, or about two a
ears, to get the volunteer forces re- I
uired for these two branches alone OF |
ur military establishments. Does that i,
'ok very hopeful," il
In conclusion the report says: "Of t
lie eight members of the military affairs n
,mmittee signing this minority report, n
,ur saw actual service in the volun- i;
.er army during the Spanish American
ar and one of these saw additional serv- d
e during the Mexican border trouble. c,
hey have knowledge at first hand OF o
lie ineiiiciency of the volunteer system Il
I'd they all join in this report in pro- n
sting against the evils of that system C,
I'd in favor of system based on uni
,rsa obligation to service" is