Evening star., 1922-08-22
Rate by MaiI-Pa, able In Advance.
MARYLAND and Virginia.
All other States,
The Army of Peace.

You are citizens Of a republic
wholly devoted to peace" said Pres'-
dent Harding yesterday to the thou
sand young men from Camp Meade.
where they have been training for sew
eral weeks. Their presence IN the
parade in Washington. and on the
I,llipse, where they were reviewed by
The commander-in-chief, was a proor
of the pacific purpose Of the United
States, a purpose to maintain peace
by being prepared for defense.
Germany attacked in 1914 because 1t
was believed at Berlin that France
was unprepared. Wars Of aggression
are always begun upon that basis.
France had changed the basis OF her
training to the point where 1t was
thought she could not Withstand an as
sault. This country. though isolated.
is not immune from that danger.
II Is not necessary to maintain
great standing army in order TO be
ready for defense. The great war
proved that. England drew not upon
her professional soldiery but upon her
unframed manhood for the legions
she sent to France to fight. For sne
was unready. When circumstances
compelled the United States to enter
the war it. too, was unready. Its
Regular Army was small. only a very
few of its younger men had had any
training whatever. 1t was requisite
&c hurry. and much loss. much suffer-
ing. much waste resulted.
The President said that he was
sratified that whereas last year only
II 900 men were enrolled in the train
ing camps, $4,000 had responded to the
invitation this year, but that there
should be 100000 men in the camps.
That would not be large figure. Five
times that number could profita bly-to
themselves and TO the country-each
year submit to training, not in the
hope of service. but in the hope Of
peace,
Physical benefits Of the weeks spent
ir camp were evident yesterday as the
thousand men from Camp Meade
marched through the streets OF the
capital and passed in review before
the President. who spoke in apprecia-
ton Of their splendid appearance.
True, they might gain as much from
athletic sports. without military drill.
But they have obtained something
more than naere hardness Of muscle
and tone of body and knowledge Of
military duties. They have acquired a
vivid conception Of citizenship, Of re-
lationship to the government which
they are pledged to defend and sup
port.
This country needs such training,
needs the physical development that
comes from drill and systematic train
ing, needs the insurance against dis
aster that comes from preparedness
agains. attack, needs the patriotic
spirit that the training ensenders.
Fears Of a warlike nation. Of a
Younger generation eager through
military training to see the country
embroiIed in conflict. are groundless.
The great war has .eft no taste for
militaristn. no desire for glory" on
the battlefield. The horrible waste Of
ttat struggle has left it's permanent
impress upon the minds of Americans
as well as Europeans, and. unlikely
before. it is practically impossible now
that the United States should ever
seek an encounter for the sake of
1ght.
Readiness for emergencies is not an
invitation. Those men who marched
here yesterday stand for that readiness
that is the soundest precaution. the
1aos1 secure investment. They are the
truest types Of the citizenship Of re-
public wholly devoted to peace.