Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1921-03-17
is THIS A SQUARE DEAL?


civilian agencies are fostering plar
to establish series of citizens mill
tary training camps in this country.
1t is understood that the govern
ment will furnish transportation
subsistence and uniforms, while the
student would be required to devote
his time free of charge.
The main object of these camps
would be to educate the public up to
the necessity of universal military
training, which congress has so fan
refused to sanction.
On the surface this would appear to
be a praiseworthy move.
But is it?
The rich mans son and the young
man in comfortable circumstances can
afford to devote month of his time
to attending these camps without re-
enumeration. He would therefore be
in line for a commission in the army
at once in the event of war.
The poor young man, who can not
afford to lose the time from his busl-
ness without compensation, has no
hope of attending such q camp, no
matter how many natural qualllca-
tons he might possess that go into
the making of an acceptable army
officer Buck private in the ranks is
the prize that awaits him. Yet he
must pay his proportion of taxes for
the purpose of maintaining these
camps for the benefit of those who
are more fortunately situated.
If it is necessary to maintain train
ing camps in order to educate men
for responsible positions in time OF
war there should be no favoritlsm
shown.
The transportation, uniforms and
subsistence furnished by the govern
ment are paid for by all of the peo-
pie.
If congress desires to be fair in the
matter it will pay each man who at
tends a reasonable sum to compensate
him for the time he loses from his
business, at least an amount equal to
the pay of a second lieutenant, the
lowest commissioned grade in the
army.
Then the privilege of attending
the camps should be apportioned out
to the several states and counties in
proportion to population, the local
authorities to make the selections
from those who apply.
If congress is not willing to do this,
or something equally fair, then ii
should do nothing at all, and there
should be no camps, unless private IN
dividuals desire to conduct them en-
tirely at their own expense.
To give the subject purely local
application, how many young men In
this community are in position to
give a month of their time free OF
charge in order to attend these camps
for the purpose of providing greater
security for all of the people?
This country is not out of the woods
of war. 1t will need defenders fol
many years to come. 1t will neeo
many men competent to step into
commissioned rank.
But in organizing the camps that
produce these officers we should give
every section of country and every
class of our citizenry an equal oppor-
tunity and a square deal.
If congress will add the item OF
compensation to the appropriation
for these camps, together with pro-
visions for an apportionment of at
tendance privileges, we believe the
scheme would he ideal and patriotic
to a degree, and would meet with
popular approval.
But to spend the money of all OF
the people for the benefit of those
who are more fortunately situated
financially we consider u1demo-
cratic, ungenerous and un-Ameri-