The Wrangell sentinel., 1924-09-04

cause you are not the best sort of patriotic Americans, but because you are busy men engaged in your own ways in pushing Alaska and the United States toward prosperity and general well-being. There is in Alaska none of the objection to Defense Day which springs from op- position to American ideals of gov ernment and the desire to see the breakdown of one of our typical American institutions. i.e., the small Regular Army and National Guard which form the nucleus al ound which great citizen army can gather to defend our ideals and institutions from domestic and for eign foe.
 But we of the Army feel, and no | less a person than President Cool idge feels Che having endorsed De- fense Day) that the busy civilian citizen can afford to devote few hours on September 12 to taking an inventory of the military assets of our country. When you insured your printing establishment, you doubtless devoted some time to in vestigating the security offered by the insurance policy. Our Army and the Defense Plan (which covers not only the Army but tre utilizing of the manhood and industrial strength of the entire nation) is the nations insurance policy. Cant we afford to spend a few hours on September 12 looking into the mat ter?
 The plan for September 12 calls for public meetings at which speak CTS shall explain to the people the National Defense Act. You as a newspaper man are doubtless in formed of the various features of that Act, but I doubt if very many men picked at random on the street could tell very much about it. It also includes, if practicable, a pa rade of such military, veterans. and other patriotic organizations as may exist in each community, so the people may see just what they have to rely upon in these respects Gin Alaska three companies of in fantry each of a maximum peace strength of S2 men, plus such vet erans of the World War as might be able to rally to the colors.) It also includes requesting each citizen of military age (1S to 45 years) that he enroll to take part in these de- monstrations, representing the men who would be called upon to bring the Regular Army to war strength and to form the National Army in case of war. This last feature is probably the most important. for by it each citizen will be brought to realize his own military obligation to his country. It should not only cause him to take a more intelligent interest in the Army of which he may one day form a part. but it should also work in the interests of peace, for no man fully realizing that he will be called upon for front line duty will help his country rush into a war unless the cause be one for which he would gladly give his life.
 Although as you state in your ed iitorial paragraph, opinion with re- gard to Defense Day varies among individuals in the States, the vari- ous Governors have appointed com mittees which are busily engaged in carrying out plans for September I12. In Washington, Dr. Henry Suz- zalo, the distinguished head of the State University, is chairman of the committee; and in our own Ter ritory, Governor Bone has appoint ed MT. R. E. Robertson of Juneau chairman, with the mayors of the various cities forming the remainr der of the committee. Mayor Gold stein of Juneau was the first one