The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-01-16

ating a great standing army. Wheth-
er that army may be created under the
draft system or by volunteers, the
fact remains that it is the beginning
of great military establishment
which will mean militarism in Ameri-
ca.
The splendid record made by our
National Guard, after a very brief
training that it received in the federal
service, demonstrated that it does not
require four years or even two years
training to make an efficient soldier.
These men received their initial train
ing in our own state, they met annual
| ly at Camp Douglas and and received
instructions for two weeks; the bal
ance of the training was given them
at their homes in the company armo-
ries, usually in the evening when they
were not otherwise employed Much
more could have been done for the
! National Guard by the government If
it saw At to do so, and the men could
have been brought up to much high
er standard of efficiency by giving
them more time and attention
Foreign Languages.
The question whether foreign Ian
! guages, and particularly German,
should be taught in the schools of the
state is being agitated and some def
mite action should be taken by your
body in regard to it.
During the late war German has
! been eliminated from practically all
| the elementary schools, some of them
substituting French in place of Ger
man. Nearly all of the high schools
have dropped Greek and many of them
have dropped German, substituting
French or Spanish for these Ian
guages.
1t is my opinion that we should con-
slider this subject purely from an edu-
cational point of view. ! maintain
that there is not sufficient time to
teach pupils in the graded or common
schools of the state foreign languages.
In the interest of our children | be-
lieve that foreign languages should
not be taught in the public, common
or graded schools of the state. We
should adjust the course of study in
those schools to fit the greatest
obliged to leave at an early age to be-
come breadwinners. We should give
| to them what they need most to meet
the responsibilities of manhood and
woanhood. If we crowd foreign Ian
guage teaching into their short school
career they will get but little out of
it and the time devoted to It must be
taken from studies that | deem more
essential to them.
In our high schools and colleges we
should, however, continue to teach
foreign languages. We should do this
for cultural and commercial reasons.
We cannot afford to become one Ian
Euage country If we do we cannot
claim to be a cultured people, nor
shall we be equipped to carry on com.
merce with the balance Of the world.
In our own private and parochial
schools sufficient course of English
should be carried. This should in
clude reading, writing, American his.
tory, and civics. This is clearly in
the interest of the children, but moth
ing should be done that will in any
way interfere with religious instruc-
tons or religious services. l take
the position that he who prays to his
Deity shall have the right to do so in
the language of his own choice. And
again, it must be understood that the
right to carry on religious services in
a foreign language shall not be used
as a propaganda against our country
and its institutions.
State Life insurance.
wish to call your attention to the
conditions of the state life insurance
fund, and in that connection | sub
NIT the following report which have
received from the Commissioner of
Insurance:
I'm 1911 section 1989m was enacted.
This statute provided for State Life
Fund to be managed by the state
without obligation on the part of the
state except to the extent of the fund.
Policies were issued in 1913-at the
| end of that year 239 policies had been
issued granting $147.500,0O of insur-
ance.
in 1914, SO policies for SS2,S00OO Of
insurance were issued and policies
for 100000 insurance lapsed In 1915,
II policies for $70,50OOO insurance
We're issued. 2 policyholders with
100000 insurance died, / surren-
dered and s lapsed In 1916. 81 poll
cies for $50 10000 were issued, l
policy-holder died, surrendered and
IA lapsed In 1917, q policies for
SCI 10000 were issued. l surrendered
and ! lapsed In 1918. IL policies were
issued, people with 100000 of in
suranee died, people with 100000
insurance surrendered and people
with 100000 insurance lapsed.
There are in force 461 policies for
/ 1873, 10000 of insurance.
The Insurance Department has
kept up a continuous campaign for
business through circularizing avail
able lists state banks and local Off.
Gals do not send in business"
II will be observed that the fund is
now carrying a total of 1879, 10000 of
insurance. The total assets OF the
Everybody Does 1t.
One form which our national lying
! not infrp0uently takes ig IN eny whom