The Raymer enterprise., 1920-02-19

In the first place the process Of
calling and assembling these 500, ,000
or million, boys in camps can
hardly take less than thirty
days. 1t will take another 80 days
to disband them and get them home.
Add this time to the training period
OF 4 months and 1t becomes months
Representative Model places the
cost Of assembling. transporting.
equipping and training 100000 Sc
lected young men at 500 million dol
lars; the enlargement, improvement.
and extension Of camps at 800 mil
lion; the maintenance OF camps one
year at SO million: and the incident
al cost of material. equipment and
training. 40 millions more.
THE total foots up a billion. and
with such system and such an
army policy, that billion would grow
like weed In corn field in July.
Just now and for several years
to come. our greatest problem and
our greatest need is to produce. And
this need is worldwide. This is
particularly true Of the farms where
every available man-young and
old--is needed and where efficient
labor was never SO lacking during
peace or war times since this repub-
lie was established. Thousands Of
farm boys who went into the army
never returned to the farms. In
many communities the high wages
paid for labor in the cities has strip
ped the countryside of young men
and women. leaving a few old men
to sow, reap and harvest as best they
can. ! learn from many sources
that the percentage of the farm boys
who entered the army and who are
not returning, and who probably
never will return to their former
occupations is startling and alarm
ing.
1T calculated that should the
Wadsworth Army Reorganization
Bill pass. It would probaly result in
assembling as high as 100000
young men for military training the
first year. After that about a mil
lion boys would be called every year
and by 1925 we should have an army
OF 3,345,200 officers and men as re-
servists, force scarcely surpassed
by any European power in time of
war.
THE economic loss of maintaining
huge numbers OF men in idleness for
from 4 to months every year would
prove an enormous drag on the pro-
ductive power OF the nation as well
as enormously increasing our expend
itures OF government. can think
OF no more suicidal policy for us to
adopt within the next few years
than this. We have reached an eco
nomic dead line and any further
burdens or handicaps will be imposed
at our peril.
1T is also true there could not be
worse time to force conscription
or any form Of compulsory military
training on the people. They were
never In less sympathy with any
thing military. They feel they have
gone as far as they can in that d.
rection. To pile any more burdens
on their backs at this psychological
moment uould be a fatal mistake.
one likely to try their patience be-
yond endurance. Whether from
peace or military viewpoint--the
best and only way to strengthen the
nation at this time is to open both
the foreign and domestic markets.
increase production, and strive with
might and main to get back to nor
NAL coditions.
III physical training is necessary
to give our young men a vigorous
physique, let suitable and carefully
directed gymnastics be made part of
their school training.
Il believe the people of the coun-
try will insist on the defent OF the
military measure. 1t is my opinion
the Senate will reject 1t by a small
majority. ! don't think 1t will get
through the House. But great
fight Is being made for 1t. Big busi-
ness interests, and commercial clubs
in all parts of the country are pull
ing for It,
We can all understand why a
strongly military system appeals TO
big business, and is this fact large
ly that gives strength to the present
movement. 1t is not going to be
easy to defeat II. II 1t is defeated at
all, depends on the people who will
have to pay the bills and suffer the
consequences should 1t be establish
ed. The issue touches every home
In the land. A test Of strength is