The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-01-23
REPUBLICANS AND UNIVERSAL
TRAINING

10nal Association Tor OMVerSal framing
through the secretary of the organiza-
ton asks the Republican national comm
ittee to declare as party principle in
favor Of this system OF national defense,
Indignation, and citizenship.
The Republican party, nationlistic,
and not sectional party, is sympathetic
and its governing organization ought to
recognize the fact. 1t aught to declare
unequivocally in favor OF the American
protective and developing system.
1t is now critical issue because the
war department, through Secretary Bak-
er, is asking for legislation on military
affairs and is not asking for the legislat-
ion which the nation needs. Pressure
can do good now. Encouragement can
do good now. Later it may be too late.
secretary Barker's experience with the
raising OF an army ought at least TO take
him out of the middle OF the road. He tells
congress, in asking for new army legis
lation, that he is In the middle of the
road. He does not know whether he is
for universal training or not. He asks
for regular army, to serve present purp
oses, one OF approximately 100000 men,
to be raised by volunteer enlistment.
1nis is large army because, being
regular army, 1t is constantly in fact and
is not Largely in possibility. Under un
iversal training citizen has had train
ing, has equipment, fits in an organizat
; ion, and is in civilian life expect for the.
period of his training or the period Of
national need.
A regular army, a professional army,
represents what military countries have
kept under arms in peace times. Their
war strength bought in the trained men
mobilized civil life. 1t must be under
stood that when the United States under
takes the raising and maintenance Of
regular army of half million men, it un
dertakes keeping under arms and with
the colors, in active service, force not
tar inferior in numbers to the armies
which Germany and France maintained
in service during the rnilitaristic peace
which threatened war end and ended in
war.
Secretary Bakers idea of an army is,
we fear, an idea of the worst kind of an
army the United States could have. 1t
would not permit the nation with physic
al and moral benifits, with benefits in
citizenship and nationally. 1t merely
would maintain large force, keeping
alive the defects of our military system,
and although it could be relied upon to be
an effective force, it would have nothing
else to recommend it. XII
Mr.. Baker is proposing, if he can get
the legislation and the volunteers, to null
tiply the former regular military esabli
shment taking it as a whole, foHr of five
times.
The point to be noted is that this is a
large increase in our military institution
ana it is one which does not follow the
dictates Of sound military policy. Sound
policy says universal service-citizen
ship in arms, not professionalism in arms
an army which represents the real life of
the United States, can defend the real life
of the United States. Universal service
would give the United States such bene
fits.
We presume that Mr.. Baker thinks that
the situation will remain extraordinary
or may remain extraordinary, for several
years, and that consequently an extraor-
dinarly large regular army will be needed
He regards the necessities as Temporary
and he does contemplate the continuance
of so large a regular establishment.
But if congress adopts this shcheme
without adopting genuine military pol
icy, it will DO great and lasting damage