El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-11-26
COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING
THE GREATEST NEED OF AMERICA

COMPULSORY military training, The Herald believes Il
- be Of the really great needs of the United States
possibly the greatest-and Of the things that will
serve more to democaise the people and the army
any other possible step.
Compulsory universal military training means an army
that representative Of every element Of civilization
stent in the country means that the army will never
become the that many Socialists and well uten-
toned but radical union labor have said thew feared
With compulsory military training there viii never be
standing army" in the that we spoke of It in the
past The standing army" would, under such system,
De entirely representative II would be made up of
Of carpenters, doctors, painters, merchants sitchmen,
bankers bcksyers, capitalists, cowmeu farmers-in
every element would be represented and the great sound
minded common people would always in majority
Such an army could be used support capital
se gTee the great bugaboo Of its opponents would
Be army Of the people Officers only would hold con-
unuous commissons-offieers possibly most Of the
non-eonmissoned offoers-but these would largely
ected for merit from among the men who in each
year for training.
Millions would be trained in the use of arms-the men
who would pass into and of the army every yearbut
We never shall seek because prepared for the
United states IN reality government o the people, for
the people and BY the people" and waged
without the Of the people represented in the
house and senate in Washington.
nation thoroughly trained IN the arts of var might
and would become dangerous the trained and
armed at the sole command Of with power TO
make war as was the case IN Germany In the United
states We might have every man trained and yet could
have unless the people should say So through the
they elect to congress- for the president the United
States cannot employ the warfare against another
these responsible solely and alone to the people
Who elected them. Besides giving democratic stand
ing army, universal training would give Us hundreds
Of thousands Of reserves and would be saved the
sorry experience of assembling unframed men and taking
months at great expense train them in the war
should De forced upon US by another nation In few days
We could trained and have them ready
They would be equipped with uniforms when trained and
would be provided for their All that would be
necessary would be to assemble them given point
vhither they would 60 in uniform, them and they
you'd be ready for duty. In few hours, might
mon to arms command strong enough to TePe any nva
Son-and do It without such tremendous waste Of funds
and energy and such losses from death and disease
necessarily attend the assembling Of green men
The military training would benefit the physical health
Of The young men, it would also give them that
necessary discipline that every young man must know if
he is to be success it would rebound many ways
the physical and moral beterment individual It
would be the cheapest and the greatest national
policy.
There SO many arguments favor of universal mill
ary training and little against it. that there should be
hestsncy the part Of the United States in adopting
Some radicals opposed 10 it, DO not know and
honestly seeking light One such writes The Herald
and asks number Of questions inspired by recent ed
toral in The Herald advocating universal training The
Herald has undertaken to his questions. Below
printed his questions and answers the questions In
light face type, the answers in biackface type:
Is compulsory military training based upon the ideas
Of democracy
Compulsory military training IS the greatest democratic
Of the age It trains all OF all classes and
gives preference to any class IN ability
obligation for service Heretofore the majority Of SOL
ders under the volunteer system have been from the
working middle class The rich have escaped their OBJ
legation.
Does conform with Christian principles such as con-
erting swords into plowshares, as You SOW, shall
YOU reap etc?
It Christian to be prepared TO Tepel invader
from your country it is to have firearms IN your home
to protect you from burglars and murdereIs.
Does the necessity Of CONSUMPTION manifested in this
England Canada America and the defeat Of that
Australia show that the peoples Of these countries
believe IN compulsory military training?
CONSUMPTION necessary IN this in the coun
tries named because there not enough already
trained be called the colors overwhelm the ksises
hosts. '
Does the sudden lowering OF the morale among SOL
tiers following signing Of the armstice show ardent
passion for military training? 4
There be parallel between the lowering Of the
morale of men who enlisted fight and find that the #