The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-07-30
URGES UNIVERSAL
MILITARY TRAINING
ey PAUL j. CICHTENFELS

The question of universal military
training Is one that has been discuss
ed a great deal throughout the coun-
try. yet it has never met with favor
in Congress. Bills providing for 1t
have been introduced in Congress, but
the congressman have not taken any
interest in the question. However,
this does not mean that the people of
the United States do not want it, for
many do. 1t does not mean either that
Congress does not want the United
States to be prepared. but that they
think we do not need it.
At present, there has been some dis.
cussion In Congress about universal
military training, but nothing has been
done We should have universal mill
tary training. first, because it is neces-
sary, second because it is democratic,
and third, because it has been bene-
fetal
Universal military training is neces-
sary. The volunteer system is very
undesirable. 1t has always been a
failure for it does not get the men
necessary to carry on the war.
Many men will not volunteer when
war is declared. They say that they
did not want war and therefore should
not have to go The volunteer system
was a failure in the Revolution. The
men would not enlist and the war
was prolonged because of this. Even
the few that did enlist would not re-
list after their terms expired. 1t was
a failure in the Civil War for the
South had to resort to conscription
Later, the North drafted, men in the
army. When the call for volunteers
was issued when we had trouble with
Mexico, 10000 answered the call when
three times that number were needed.
President Wilson did not wait to have
the inefficiency OF this system demon.
strated again but resorted immediate.
ly to conscription.
England has been country that has
always had the volunteer system, yet
in this war England has resorted to
conscription and is now using that
method. They are also trying to con-
script the men IN Ireland
The volunteer system is undemo-
cratic. Many who can go and who
should go will not when the call is
issued. Their places have to be filed
and 1t is usually done by some mar
ried men who should be at home This
would not happen under universal mill
danger Of slackers escaping service.
General Hugh l.. Scott said, There
is no reason why one woman's son
should go out and defend or be trained
to defend another woman and her son
who refuses to take training or give
service. The only democratic method
is for every man in his youth to be-
come trained in order that he may
render efficient service If called upon
in war"
Conscripton will raise an army cas-
lily enough. This has been demonstrate
ed many times. but it does not get an
army when We need it. 1t does not
get an army until after war is declar-
ed. Then 1t takes about a year to
get an adequate army. If we should
have an adversary like Germany and
not have any one to fight our battles.
as France and England are doing, we
would have to put unframed men on
the field or spend months training
them. In either case we would be
defeated.
Therefore, since the volunteer sys-
tenn Is undesirable and since conscrip-
tion is inadequate we must have some
method to insure our safety. Univer-
sal military training will overcome