The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-13
THE LAST OF THE VOLUNTEER.

h Chicago Tribune: A government order
has put an end to the volunteer system.
Neither army nor navy is to accept recruits
Foffered in this fashion. The fallacies and
Failures of the system of personal decision
and self-selection is thus given its coup de
Egrace. The government, wisely recogniz-
ling the national necessity, does away with
Ethe last Of this system which has been so
dear to the American emotions and so cost.
ay in their experience.
3 The navy, which has been forced ia
stimulate recruiting, has it's men and will
get more as it needs them. The army, in
all its major processes, is relying upon con-
scription. The volunteer system, always
bad, remained only as a possibly disturb
ing element and it has been done away
fvith.
Z No citizen personal desires or judgment
can place him where he is of the greatest
service. 1t may be a coal miner s job to
remain coal miner. 1t may be the worst
possible thing for him to do what would
win him the most applause from his neigh
borB-to enlist
8 Al miner In the mines may be worth 10
miners In the navy. The nation has to keep
itself going or it is useless for it to raise
armies. It cannot drain its essential indus
1ries, weaken or interfere with them, and
5Hhen expect to put it's full strength on the
fighting front.
q It selects it's soldiers with the greatest
care not to dislocate or disturb the work
which must be done behind the army if the
army is to fight successfully. If it is not
only permitted but ardently urged that
men, regardless of their occupation and
employment, regardless of their special fit
ness for necessary civilian work, drop that
Necessary work and go into the ranks, the
Efficiency Of the nation suffers.
: Consumption is the only safe method by
(which men can be withdrawn from civilian
pursuits for army training and service. In
consumption it can be expected that an in
3elligence compromising the whole neces-
sity of the nation, seeing and perceiving
6he relation Of activities to each other, will
Jake the men who can best be spared and
make soldiers Of them and will retain the
men who cannot be spared and keep them
as miners, engineers, artisans and work
men who will preserve the structure and
save the power of the country.
e Leave soldering to the emotions, to the
patriotic impulse, the personal selection
and decision and you may so weaken an es-
sential industry that it would be better for
the country if the enemy had received the
Increment in strength if upon such terms
the men who volunteered could have been
retained in their industries
& A little war may be conducted upon the
Volunteer system because it will make but a
little drain upon the country s resources. A
great war cannot be so conducted, or, if it
be so conducted, will have criminal waste.
Exceptions to the general order abolish
iRg the volunteer system may be in order.
They will, probably, be trivial as to the
number of men involved. An instance may
8e the officers training schools. 1t may
Pc necessary to modify the order to permit
voluntary enistments for such training.
adjustment can be made to meet, prac-
acally, such exigency as may arise, but it is
very wholesome, sound policy of the
American government which does away
kithout compunetion with this choice
process of emotionalism and military ie,
orance the volunteer system.