The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-03-12
Woods Stand is Definite:

The subject most discussed today in the
State of South Dakota is universal military
training; by the Lowden people called Com
pulsory Universal Military Training"
We desire to bring before the readers the
views of Leonard Wood in his own words.
Woods Idea On Subject
Leonard Wood does not and never has
stood for Universal Military Training, but he
does stand for Universal Training for Nation
al Service. which is an entirely different
thing. 1t is true that there are some different
of military trainig in the Universal Training
for Service. Leonard Woods idea is, however,
based on a desire to assist the youth of the
country in securing vocational and physical
training of which military exercises are but a
minor incident.
The following are Woods words on this
important subject:
Training for Citizenship
1--WE must remember, all of us, that this
training is not a training for war alone; it
really is a training for life. a training for
citizenship in time of peace. It results in an
all-round better citizen, because of the habits
of regularity, promptness and thoroughness
which are acquired from the training. The
youth learns to respect the constituted
authorities, the rights OF others, the law, ana
the flag of his country, and to think in terms
of the nation rather than in terms OF the IN
dividual. It's result will be to nationalize our
people, to bring them together to an extent to
which they never have been brought together
before. For the everyday business and pro-
fessional struggle the training Will be most
helpful, because of the better physique, be-
cause of the discipline and self-control which
will come from the training. It will result IN
greatly increased individual and national Ell
fciency. 1t will make for national solidarity
and will be the strongest possible insurance
against war. If war is forced upon us, it will
tend to make it short and to reduce the loss of
life and treasure to a minimum.
Four Months Enough
-Four months Of training for national
service for all our youth who are physically
fit is the longest period we should consider.
and we should combine something of industri-
I'll training with it. We must remember that
it is the strongest, well-prepared nation which,
in the last analysis. decides whether resort is
to be had to arbitration or to war. We must
remember, finally, that it is better to be pre-
pared for war and not have it, than to have
war and not be prepared for IT. 81
VIII Make Better Men
Again in his speech at Yankton. speaking
Of Universal Training, Leonard Wood said:
I'VE won't call it compulsory military train
ing. but training for national service which
will combine vocational, industrial and cltl-
zenship training. They all go together In the
making Of the American citizen.
1--WE are concerned with the making OF bet
ter. more effective men. The soldier training
is only a part in the making OF the citizens OF
the Republic.
you, the young men who have been
through this war are the men to whom this
country is going to look for a military policy.
It has got to be an American military policy
on purely democratic lines. but there must be
some kind Of a policy. I'D when you get over
the war WEAKNESS and give your attention to
home affairs the country Is going to look to