Evening star., 1926-11-29
OPPOSES FOSDICK VIEW.
Writer Quotes Summeran on
Military Training.

To the Editor of The Star:
In the editorial section Of The Sun
day Star of November Mr.. Willis J..
Ballinger publishes an interview which
he had with DR.. Harry Emerson Fos-
dick, "the minister rated as America g
most noted divine" In my opinion,
such an article must not go unchal-
lenged.
Perhaps 1 am wrong in making it
my duty to answer DR.. Fosdick's sin
cere but misguided statements regard
ing the "warlike" attitude of the War
Department in fostering military train
ing in our schools and colleges. Per
haps l am too young to challenge the
word of a man of learning" and a
clergyman, but 1 know that what
have to say is true, and 1 feel that it
Is my rightful duty to come forward
in defense>of military training in any
way. shape or form.
DIR. Fosdick Is a clergyman. He
claims to preach the gospel of Christ,
yet I doubt If he has ever uttered
these following words which Christ
Himself spoke and which may be
found in the Bible:
THE Lord is a man Of war."-(Ex-
odus, xv.3)
Think not that I am come to send
peace on earth; I came not to send
peace but a sword. Matthew, x34)
And he that hath no sword, let
him sell his garments and buy one.
for the things concerning
me have an end."-(Luke, xxii.36, 37)
America today is in no condition to
listen to doctrines Of pacifism. For
once in our lives let us bark to au-
thenticated facts. Today the United
States of America is the most gener-
ally hated Nation on earth. I know
this to be true after four years Of ex-
tensive travel throughout Europe.
The old proverb still holds true,
"Obligation sewers friendship" And
what nation Of any consequence today
is not obligated to us? 1t is sad, but
very true, War is just around the cor
ner, and if we do not watch our step
he will suddenly spring at our throats
before we have time. to collect our
wandering wits.
Families have always argued and
"rowed" among themselves and ma
tions have always fought one another.
1t has always been so, and it always
will be so. And who has proof that
history will cease repeating itself?
Now, in regard to military training
in schools and colleges, DIR. Fosdick
has the following to say against the
Reserve Officers Training Corps: But
it is absurd to identify necessary pre-
paredness in the United States with
military training in high schools and
colleges. That is pulling the wool over
the peoples eyes. We are the strong
est among nations. We are the safest,
ha fa1
defend ourselves. To say that we can
not be prepared without adopting the
policy of turning our schools into mill
tary academies and our Fairgrounds
| into drill grounds Is nonsense"
DR.. Fosdick says that we are the
most isolated" That Is not true, for
| today distance is nothing. He says
that we are the strongest. Perhaps we
are in raw materials, but raw material
| Is not the finished product, and a
green recruit never can fight like a
| trained and seasoned regular.
DR.. Fosdick> continues: After the
Mexican, Civil and Spanish wars the
War Department did not attempt to
trying it now?"
| Maj. Gen. G. p. Summerall, the new
Chief of Staff, says-and what he says
Is true and can be proved: THE es
tablishment of this corps for training
citizen soldiers is nothing new. I'm.
mediately after the Civil War the
Morrill, act was enacted by Congress
giving lands and the proceeds thereof
| to educational institutions on the con.
| dition that they train young men for
military service"
| Gen. Summerall continues: MANY
schools, realizing the financial and
| moral benefits, as well as the educa
| tional value, of military training
| 1t cannot be claimed that the young
men trained under it's provisions
| brought about the war with Spain or
| the one with Germany. Our country
has never entered war until it was
forced upon us from without"
. Proof is the foundation of fact
What proof has DR.. Fosdick that mill
tary training Prussianizes our youth
and instills In them the lust for blood
He says, "The trouble Is that too many
people assume that another war is in
| evitable." What proof has he that
| wars are not inevitable? He also
says LET us train Americas youth fol
a decent future, not for a slaughter
house." To abolish military training
in our schools and colleges would be
| u o1lhilE Jul yOuLll LUZ IIiG
house. But to teach them how to fight
and protect themselves is a step ir
the right direction, for then they will
have confidence in themselves-an6
the state of mind Is one-third of the
fight. To send troops into battle with
out any training to speak of Is mur
der. Therefore. let us take this oppor
tunity-peace time-to train our you'll
for the war that is bound to come, sc
that when they go into battle they
will go forward gladly and confidently
knowing that they are prepared tt
meet any enemy in the world.
| Permit me to again quote Gen. Sum
neral: "The soldier, more than any
other man, knows the horrors Of wal
and seeks to avoid them. Every stu
dent who received military traininf
in. our schools and colleges Is a. rea
element for peace in the future. He Il
| ready to play his part in regaining the
peace after all other established agen
cies have failed to keep it. The Re
serve Officers Training Corps Is the
most altruistic measure ever adopted
by the Federal Government. Thos,
who oppose it do so either from igno
rance, lack of understanding, or be
cause they wish to destroy the power
of this Nation for maintaining it.
existence" H. G.. SHEEN.