The Raymer enterprise., 1920-02-19
WHY | OPPOSE UN|vER-
SAL MILITARY TRAINING


notion that money is our biggest and
our never failing crop and that II
grows on every bush and tree in all
the 4s states. II this were there
would even then be none too much
OF II for Washington.
1--WE ara now estimated to be TAX
ing for the expenses OF government,
one-third of all every man produces
in year. 1t has further been calcu-
lated that every family in the land
now contributes, on an average, $3.50
year in federal, state and local
taxes, and that every new billion of
taxation adds $45 more to this total.
Our local. state and federal taxes at
the present time equA II not exceed
the per capita Of all the money in
circulation in the United States.
been more desperatelyetaoin shmd
Never in all our history have
there been more desperately urgent
reasons for national and nationwide
economy but never since the world
began has any nation squandered
money as we now are squandering It..
Such is the strange effect in
Washinton of the disease from which
We are suffering most-billionitis-
that with bankruptcy threatening
the world and menacing us; with the
United States, the worlds most pros
porous nation. staggering under a
colossal war debt; with this nation
facing this year bills for ~ billions
and only 8 billions with which to
pay them; with another bond issue
threatening and imminent-that
is going ahead planning
o spend from now billion dollars a
year on greater navy and another
billion dollars year on a larger
army in connection with compulsory
training and not many
years ago a billion dollars was
enough to run the entire federal
for twelve months!
This is one OF the special reasons
why | oppose compulsory military
traing and why voted against Sem
ator Wadsworth's bill for reorgan-
izing the army when il came before
the committee. But ! have other
reasons which consider quite as
valid, any one OF which | think Is
ufficient.
This bill provides for compulsory
military training at enor-
nous expense to the taxpayers when
we have million finely trained ex-
service men in the country ready for
any warlike emergency ror years to
come, and could, In three months or
more, train another four million Just
as quickly. In the meantime how
could bankrupt Europe make war OF
the United States even II 1t wanted
to?
The bill gives one man-the chic
Of staff-unlimited power and con
troll over the army.
1T repeals the American plan O
control by Congress and the Presi
dent, and substitutes the one-man
system Of Germany.
1T destroys a state National
Guard and substitutes an unconstitu
tional United States National Guard
Apparently 1t gives the Presi
dent the nominal control Of the
army heretofore exercised by Con
gress, but actually 1t gives 1t to tn
'hief of the staff.
1T provides nominally, that Gel
tain officers from lieutenant to gen
eral may be appointed by the Pref
Ident, but that actually they shall
,e selected by the chief OF staff. Tha
effect OF this Is to entrench the ger
aral staff In the Government, NAL
Ing the Government more and MOI
and to open wide the doc
to rotten politics and graft In tn
army.
Certain officers are to be az
pointed by the President withot.
the advice and consent Of the Senat
"An indefinite number OF gene
ais and lieutenant generals may |
appointed In time Of peace.
I'm fact. this bill supplants IT,
National Defense Act based on Anne
lean ideals, experience and trad.
tions. with the ideals of a militar
autocracy.
III this bill becomes law 1t wi.
cost the people not less than a bi
lion dollars the first year. It pre-
vides for 1928 officers and $4,000
enlisted men. The President isl er
powered nominally, but the chief
stan is empowered specifically, to i.
crease this number 20 per cent; al
the chief Of staff may employ
many reserve officers and as mar
export aesistanta aa ho doairoo