Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-11

tion will breed distrust i'm our neign-
bors i'm Europe and elswhere. Any
nation on earth which would become
suspicious or frightened at the mod
est program for national defense pro-
vided for N the defense act has
either no knowledge of our people
and their ideals, or is not sincere in
its alarm. The chief criticism at
present, however, is directed against
the war department for encouraging
military training in the schools and
colleges In this the war department
/ is doing no more than it's duty in
carrying out the provisions of the
national defense act, and the pur-
pose for which it was established.
The war department is an agency of
the people. 1t is controlled entirely
by the laws passed by the represent
tatives Of the people. To be sure il
| sometimes prepares and seeks to havs
adopted legislation which it believes
! to be needed and beneficial Just as
does the department. of agriculture.
| In land grant schools the nat. t.onal
/ defense act merely requires that there
/ be offered courses in military science
and tactics, and that credits towards
graduation be given for courses com,
! Tleted. Whether the work in the
military department be compulsory or
elective is in the hands of the schooI
iitself. In all others, whether or nor
a department of military science and
tactics is maintained, is entirely op-
tional with the school authorities.
Harlan G. Hines, professor of edu-
cation at the University of Cincinnati
tn IA g arfi iaIn
he September number of Scribners
says, "There are many who contend
| that military drill is harmful u
But where is the harm in teaching
order, obedience and promptness
! through group practice, through drill
, for habit formation? The youth
movement is opposed to drill, or
course. 1t means work. Work means
doing something the youth doesn't
want to do. And what is to happen
to the nation that subsidies laziness?i
The answer may be found in the
dole system in England, and we may
profit by reading it there"
When the next war will come no
one can tell That this country will
never De involved in another is,
think, a too optimistic forecast in
the light of history and world con-
ditions as they are at present Bur
in justice to those who will be asked
to defend the United States in the
next, the lessons of the great war
should not be allowed to be forgot
F! ten. If this nation intends to main
tain policy of aloofness and depend
upon itself alone and the theory or
isolation for it's protection, it should
realize that aloofness, with a grow
ing world commerce and enor.nous
international obligations, is well nigh
impcssible; that splendid isolation.
has become almost a figure of speech
1t should become aware that some
thing more than two seas on the
flanks, a friendly blood relative on
the north and a weak and sometimes
hostile neighbor on the south are re-
CURED to insure us protection in our
pursuits.
To disband our army and navy,
and do away with all military prep
paration in an effort to set an .ex-
, ample of moral courage, and prove
cur sincerity in the cause of peace
would be visionary gesture, unap-
preciated abroad and inviting disaster
"HANu NOulo 'ilOI StsS.N5 KS fCOHllIS.
On the other hand, adequate provision
for national defense is not lncom-
patable with promotion OF world
peace. While reasonably and mod
estly preparing ourselves to defend
cur country, enforcing our will by
strength if necessary in the last ex-
tremity, we should Keep ever before
US that ideal of peace, understand
s,,1- !
the family of nations to our full
ability, striving tot sayert war ana
make it's recurrence more rare
1t seems to me that OF all ths
days of the year. sArinist:ce day is
; the most appropriate time to discuss.
not war experiences nor battle
achievements, but peace expectations
I believe it to be the most. ap-
propriate time for all to pause ana
honor those who were not so fortunate
as some of the rest of us. Honor
them not merely by the empty ges-
ture of bowling the head, but honor
ing Their memory by asking if their
death was not somewhat in vain, if
Iall those things have been accom-
rlished which they We're led to be-
rlieve would be accomplished by their
risking the supreme sacrifice.
Many will say that of course they
did not de in vain. Didn't they help
win the war? Didn't they show those
Germans they couldn't dictate to us
about our ships? In other words
they upheld our national honor and
helped eliminate the central powers
as menace to the world peace. Tha,
is all true and in times past might
have been considered enough, but iii
our participation in this war suc~
terms as brotherhood of man-rights
of small natiOns-a world safe for
democracy-war to end war-were
heard. These words soon came to be
looked upon as cheap catch phrases,
slogans to keep up morale and help
recruiting, but they were spoken In
all sincerity by the man who first
uttered them.
Of course it would be absurd to
say that the men in uniform con-
sidered themselves other than as SOL
diers fighting for their country Some
went because they We're drafted and
had to go, in most instances gladly
or, re9Ixy