New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-29

IN ANCIENT and medl9val times one
small community often declared war
upon another because the males of one
desired to carry Off the females of the
other Also, in ancient and medieval times
one country or people often went to war
against another for religious reasons. But
to-day the desire TO increase the national
wealth or the national commerce is the
principal cause Of war.
To-day. travel between nations is so free
and continuous that no need exists for
wars Of the first cause.
To-day, worldwide circulation Of books
and newspapers, world movements in the
missionary fields, and general spirit of
religious tolerance, render religious cGr
highly improbable, if not impossible.
But nations do make war to secure adj
vantages in world trade, to acquire colo
MES of undevelOped land, to obtain rights
to virgin resources, and to win ndemnltles.
We need protection because Of oar
wealth; our country and the welfare of
our people may some day be placed III
jeopardy because of it and the lack OF
means to protect it.
Our army is smaller to-day in proportion
to our wealth than ever before in the his
tory of the United States, and to-day we
are in the midst Of a world war. In 1910,
after more than quarter of a century of
peace. our army was $50 per cent greater,
per billion of wealth, than it is today. In
1910, more than quarter Of a century
after the close Of the Revolutionary War,
our army was 2,100 per cent greater per
billion of wealth than it is at the pres
ent time.
Even the ultra-pacifsts who few years
ago considered a United States army Of
100000 men as entirely unnecessary are
now realizing and cOnceding that we do
need a force Of from 100000 to 250,O0O
men.
In determining lChdt kind OF defence SyS-
tenn we should adopt it is necessary TO
study the size of the army produced by
each of three kinds Of military training
under consideration, and to determine
whether or not it is possible to raise an
army Of 100000 or $4,000 under our pres
ent system.
Germany has population of 6S,OOO.OO0.
The universal compulsory manhood ser
vice gives Germany an effective force In
war times of over eight million men. and
standing army in peace times OF 8OO,OO0.
Little Switzerland, with a population
about equal to the population OF Massachu-
sets. has total war strength OF more
than half million men, all ever ready 10
defend the country and its citizens.
But under our so-called voluntary sys-
tenn it has been impossible by extensive
advertising, by intensive and extensive
effort to increase our regular army to
100000 men. Eight months ago Congress
provided for an addition of $4,000 men
for our regular army. A campaign was
started, money and effort were not spared
in the attempt to secure new recruits, but
the enlistment has gone on at tttle more
than no men per day.
The so-caled voluntary system always
has failed, and we have no indication that
if ever will supply enough troops to actual
" defend our wealth or our lOO,OO0,0oO
people.
II has failed even at those moments
when the very existence of the nation was
at stake. During the first year OF the
Revolutionary War, Congress issued com
missions and provided for Continental
army of $1,000 men, to be enlisted under
the command of General Washington, but
four months later less than 1000 men had
enlisted in the Continental army. The year