El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-11-15

q
N versaI military training law. The president shou
definitely himself in favor of it Che is
favor it in princple) the department should work
definite plan for its application and congress should ge
work It. Time, money and work be saved by act
ing
We should not think merely because we have helped Il
win this war quickly after getting in that are easily
The reason the United States did not suffer more
that France and Britain were prepared They held
the Hun n check while prepared Il is true we go
ready IN short tme-for unpIepared nation But il
we had been attacked Germany would have the
oountryf navy had not been able keep her off
before we could have organized drilled and equipped
army.
1t took US months after we entered the war IN he able
10 send properly trained into battes-men We could
pit against the trained of Germany We could have
thrown men willing to fight into the battle line within
rev weeks but they would have been slaughtered victims
Of our foolishness.
Men must be trained and prepared for war &c for any
ether business and The Herald has often remarked
training IS the best insurance against war The United
states never has fought and viii fight war of az
erosion or for conquest The United States must be pre-
pared to meet other nations that might do So To keen
our men trained is insurance against invasion and LONG
Wsr we are ever assailed We forget this The
wonders accomplished by after they got into the
lighting was due to their trainng-what they received
after We entered the war No put into the
service at the front.
We must not listen to men of the W. Z BRYAN tyne
Who would tell Us that could muster million men in
a hours We could do It, but could get them saug
tered too. We might muster enough TO repe an invasion
but the loss would be out of all proportions to what it
should be if had these trained By training them
now We still boast that can muster million men
over highland we can do it and they viii be soldiers not
merely men ready to sacrifice their lives for their country
but trained soldiers who be ped against the trained
military Of any nation.
Out Of this training only preparedness but
better physical race There is not parent the
Try whose boy is returned home alive not say he
IS better physically for his military training This
now admitted and has been admitted for months The
nintary training they viii receive under compulsory
raining law viii better fit them for le's duties and at
the same time it is insurance of the nation against
future war-aganst their possible slaughter
date.
In Of colleges and schools throughout the United
States there units Of the Students Army Training
oPs formed of youths of draft detailed to schools
ioT academic training before being taken into the regular
army service. These boys take military instruction
along with their schooling and they provided barracks
clothing and all other supplies Of the soldier and given
army pay.
Unless compulsory universal training naugu1ated all
these units viii be disrupted with the rehabilitation and
hardshps the young viii follow together with the
utmost Decentralization in the colleges where work has al
ready been naugurated barracks built and classes formed
Il too much TO say that these boys be mustered
quietly out Of the federal service and continue with their
school work Perhaps half of them maybe moTe could not
remain in school day for the living accom-
food clothing and money provided them by the
government. They would have get and go work
We need TO educate these boys citizens and prepare
them for wzr If they should be required
n the Students Army Training Corps there is fine
oanlzaton Just getting under way, good beginning IN
the application Of the principle of universal military train
ing and It ought to be continued.
But that IS Tot all Our army totals about $780,
coo men All but about 100000 enlisted commits
stoned only for the duration of the As the
peace terms signed they will be subject to demobiza
ton As the law stands the United States maintain
standing army IN peace times of about 900 men, But If
all the officers and subject to discharge at the
rusOu Of peace be let out Of the service there
would be way to build up the army to $4,000 with
recruiting and Te-eommssionng costly and confus
ing task
Moreover an army Of $4,000 is too small even for
peace times II is true expect to 60 into league Of
nations to be formed for the purpose of making i'm
possible We look forward TO continuous peace forever
But even the most fatuous Of pacsts ought to have
learned his lesson Everyone ought TO realize that
nations only keep Of by being strong that
the other nation viii be afraid to attack This does not
that the past Of increasing ornaments is to
continue Il does that league Of nations only
succeed If its component parts maintain military establish
nents sufficiently strong to enforce its judgments.
The United States ought to have an army OF 100000
officers and at least Every boy Of 10 to q years
hould have military training, and possible, vocational
u business or professional training at the time
compulsory military training law viii make this possible
We have all the machinery for good start Don't