New-York tribune., 1919-03-23
Here at Home

The young men of America have had
during the last two years their chance to
form opinions on the subject of con-
scription, universal military training and
the like. AS could be expected, tastes
differ in this respect, as in any other.
In "The Saturday Evening Post"
Samuel G. Blythe quotes an American
soldier attached to unit in France as
declaring:
"'1he big lesson we have learned is that
don't want militarism in our country;
that the rigid class distinctions of big
army must not be clamped on our country;
that we have all been ready to go the limit
in war, but while we have been going that
limit we have learned both sides of it, and
know that if our people allow the creation
Of great military machine in our country
because the professional military men want
it we'll stand still instead of going ahead
and lose the very thing for which we have
been fighting.
We've seen militarism from both sides
from the German side and from our own
side; and we don't want any of it of either
brand. There are 100000 men in this
country in American uniforms, and 1000 900
more over home in camps, and I'll bet you
what you like that not 10 per cent Of those
who were civilians before the war started
have any other idea than to get out of
their uniforms quickly they get
back to their jobs. That's what we think
Of this military business, and that's the big
thing we have learned, along with appre-
citation of the qualities which we never
knew existed in the mass Of the common
men of our country, of the democracy that
comes from the association and common
cause we have had and mighty keen idea
of the powers we can exert when we do get
back to our jobs and have a chance to
take part in affairs again"
On the other hand, the result of a
canvass conducted by means of a ques-
tionnaire at Camp Devens, Mass, points
in the opposite direction. ''The Boston
Globe reports:
"The opinions of the men, numbering
1880, with an average length of service
of 107 months, were obtained through
carefully arranged questionnaire system
with every safeguard provided to insure
absolutely free expression of opinion and
with such distribution in the division as to
make the answers representative
Although half Of the men questioned
were rated as dissatisfied with military
life, the report shows that 89.5 per cent of
tho replies expressed the soldiers belief
that he personally had benefited by his
army life, 70 per cent were glad of their
training aside from feelings of patriotism,
and 90 per cent favored universal military
training as national policy. A substan-
tial majority agreed that the existing re-
lationship between officers and men was
necessary and disapproved the social mix
ing of the rank and file"
"The Kansas City Star" reports that
IN certain Congressional circles it is
feared the action of the peace confer
ence in prohibiting conscription in Ger
many may operate against the proposed!
universal military training in the United
States.
The first nation in Europe to abolish
conscription is Hungary. 1t was re-
ported recently that the Magyar repub-
lican government ordered the dissolu-
tion of the entire army, and announced
that new force of six divisions will be
raised on the basis of voluntary enlist
ment.