The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-11-29
WHY WE SHOULD NOT
HAVE UNIVERSAL MILITARY
TRAINING AND SERVICE

Written for the American Union
against Militarism, by Ex-Governor
Simeon E. Baldwin, of Connecticut.)
In my judgment, any permanent
system of universal military training
and CONSUMPTION would be unsuited
both to the political and the social
conditions existing in the United
States.
We have made our President an Of
ficer of immense powers. They are
great in peace; overwhelming in war.
In framing our Constitution, this pol
icy was deliberately adopted. With
States scattered over half continent
it was a vital necessity to have some
thing like absolute authority in GER
tain matters vested in a single execu-
tive magistrate He must, in the ma
ture of things, see that the laws OF
the United States are properly execut-
ed, whether by the people in general
or any particular class of the people.
The only recognized class is that en-
gagged in the military and naval ser
vice. 1t is the Presidents right and
duty to carry out the legislation OF
Congress in regard to it. Against the
danger of his abusing this trust the
only safeguard is impeachment.
Against the danger of bad legislation
by Congress there is the greater and
self-executing safeguard of a con-
stitution provision that no appropria-
ton of money for raising and sup
porting armies shall be for a longer
term than two years.
The design of the trainers of the
Constitution was to have only small
standing army, but that it should be
supported by force of militia in each
State, trained under discipline pre-
scribcd by Congress. The necessities
of the war of 1914-l91S have caused
the virtual abolition of the State mill
tia. Instead of it, we have adopted,
| for the time being, the policy of con-
scription. The course of events has
now brought us to the point where we
must determine whether to perpetu-
ate or to abandon it as a part of the
American system of political govern
ment
Our history since the Constitution
was adopted shows that its trainers
were right in providing for small
army and a supplementary militia,
only, in time of peace; leaving con-
scription to be resorted to only when
necessary in time of war.
We shall never wage wars avowedly
for conquest. For any others we can
safely trust to voluntary enlistment
in the armies and navies of the United
States, and the State militia; to be
supplemented, in case of invasion, or
danger of invasion, by a temporary
CONSUMPTION act.
We have become the greatest and
richest government on earth. Can,
ning's statement, a century ago, that
England had called upon the New
World to redress the balance of the
Old, if but half true then, has since
been acted out in the wars just closed
We have had main share, co-operat-
ing again with England, in shaping
the events that have, in these wars
re-made the face of Europe. Our sue
cess now becomes our danger. Power
begets a constant temptation to ust
Il, Power to dictate to other nations
their course of conduct leads to DE
sire to exercise and enforce tina
power. Any CONSUMPTION act tend
to exalt the military and depress tn
civil authority. Safety for US doe
not lie that way.