Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-06
r " ON to provide adequately for the de-
II Tense Of the nation in war without
I Z TOO great eEDcnse and without turn.

rr0W to provide adequately for the de-
II tense of the nation in war without
Il too great expense and without turn
ms me country into the German militarstc
mold in peaGetime, is enc Of the biggest
qestions now agitating congress- The SEN
ate military committee reports bin for
universal military training but some
leaders in the house hold the plan to be at
once expensive and undemocratic.
The senate BILL according to the BAN
COR COMMERCIAL (Ind.l, provides for the
maintenance of a regular army Of $4,000
officers and 100000 enlisted men and the
compulsory military training Of American
boys for period of four months between
the ages Of Is and 21, with later enrolment
in the reserve The GRAND RAPIDS
PRESS ilnd.) points out that the plan al
lows the boys their choice of taking their
training in any one Of three years following
their eighteenth birthday, and as there will
be two training periods year they may Sc
lect any one of the six periods, and the
BINGHAMTON MORNING SUN lind. Dem
adds that this citizen army cannot be called
to the colors except in the event of de-
claratlon of war" This paper believes that
the short period of four months provided
by the bill for the training of our youth is
long enough to impart the essentials of mill
tary knowledge and discipline, but not long
enough to implant the spirit of militarism.''
The plan, as calculated by the NEW
YORK TRIBUNE (RepD, would furnish "a
reserve of over 5000, 900 men within few
years-by 1926 at the outside" but in adj
dition to this paramount consideration OF
providing trained soldiers for emergencies,
incidental benefits are enumerated. For
example, the ALBANY ARGUS (Dem.)
says:
whatever expense universal military
training would involve would bring results
in the physical improvement Of the young
manhood of the country worth many times
the cost There is no guess work about that.
All about us today are evidences of what mil
tary training did for our young men who
have but recently been discharged from the
service"
The NEWARK EVENING NEWS (Ind.)
looks upon this citizen army as a cure for
radicalism "Were there ever" it asks.
ANY better universities of Americanism
than the training camps? And as radical
ism in such country as ours thriVes only
on ignorance prejudice and transformation
| is there any better place for all kinds OF
Americans to get together in mutual under
standing than in such camDs?"
| Moreover, as the MINNEAPOLIS JOUR
NAL (Ind. Rep points out, 'the call is
not for military service, but for military
! training. . Nobody wants compulsory
| service in time of peace though those who
| twist words try to make it appear that this
| is what compulsory training means, The
! NEW YORK TIMES Ond. Dem.) emphasizes
| the same distinction, saying that "compul-
sorry service would be open to the charge OF
mlitarism," and the BOSTON TRANSCRIPT
| tInd. Rep.) thinks the senate bill embodies
the principle that the privilege of citizen
ship in a democracy carries with it the obli
cation of a knowledge of the use of arms"
| This is the democratic method of army or.
ganization," agrees the SEATTLE TIMES
/ (Ind) 4
But others are not so sure of this. ''The
people of the United States" fatty declares
the PITTSBURG SUN dem }, 'do not want
compulsory military training of their boys
unless it is absolutely essential to the safe
ty of the nation Continuing the SUN
says:
'"The choice is plain. On the one hand is
Article VIII of the League Covenant in
which the members Of the League recognize
| that the maintenance of peace requires the
| reduction of national ornaments to the low
| est point consistent with national safety
| establish the machinery for reducing their
ornaments by common consent and outlaw
the private exploitation Of munitions. On
the other hand is a return to the old system
! of intrigues, criminally competitive arma-
ment, tremendous tax burdens to support
the military machine, and compulsory train
| ing in times of peace.
'Is it not a fact" asks the DIES MONIES
REGISTER (Ind. Rep), chat the untrain-
ed men Of Canada, of the United States and
/ of Australia met the shock troops of the
veteran armies of Europe on even terms
. -. and that the initiative, the dash, the
victory lay with the civilian soldier?" The
PITTSBURG DISPATCH (Ind.) thinks ii