Milford chronicle., 1930-01-24
AMERICAN LEGION
COMMANDER URGES
UNIVERSAL DRAFT
fContinued from Page u

! I'VE hear a great zeal IOudy dDOuI
peace and about preparedness" Mr..
Bodenhamer said. "The Legion talks
of peace, and the Legion talks OF
preparedness. But, over and above
the question of naval strength, and,
over and above the question OF the
standing armed forces of land and
air, there is still a greater and more
fundamental principle on which must
rest real preparedness, and any ade-
uuate national defense program.
Likewise, that principle is essential
to the promotion of peace Call II
what you may-universal draft, or,
universal service, or what not-that
fundamental principle is wrapped up
in the spirit of union and unity-the
spirit of one for all, and all for one.
"The service of capital and mate
rial and of man power is essential
to the ultimate success of modern
warfare. Not only are these three
vital forces essential to a quick and
successful conclusion of war, but
they would likewise, prove effective
in preventing war, provided a plan
for their proper use, and co-ordina-
tion were made effective, during the
time of peace. With such funda-
mental principle written into the
law of our land, the first great guar
antee of permanent peace will have
been established.
War Sacrifice
"Former President Coolidge made
this statement: Undoubtedly, one OF
the most important provisions in the
Dreparation for national defense is
a proper and sound selective service
act Now, 1 am not presenting to
you, for your consideration, and def
mite plan for such a selective serV-
ice. 1 am, however, asking that you
consider the justice and equity of the
principle which underlies what many
of us call the universal draft. We
must admit that the burden of war is
the nations burden. 1t, therefore,
should fall equally upon all men and
upon all property. There should be
no profit in war. War is a national
sacrifice, and every citizen and the
property of every citizen should join
in that sacrifice. But such has not
been the case, in the past. And the
Legion says to the American public
that we ought to have system of
national defense, in which it will be
impossible for any one element of
our people to profit by the waging of
war. The soldiers don their uni
forms; go to war; risk their lives;
work for menial pay; return to their
homes and then help pay the war
bills. Now, if there is to be equal
responsibility during the time those
war bills are being created. If all
men and all property are to share
equally after war, in paying the war
debt, then all men and all property
should serve equally during the time
of conflict. Surely, no one can argue
successfully to the contrary. Let us,
therefore, insist that our national de-
fense program be so prepared that
all citizens and all property, shall
bear the equal punishment of war.
Of Vital Importance.
! "Now, my friends, this is a mat
ter of vital Importance at this time.
Eleven years have passed since the
signing of the Armistice. Year after
year, the Legion calls attention to
the equity and to the Importance of
this universal service principle, and
year after year, nothing is done. II
the principle is correct and fair, and
lust then it should be written into
the law of the land at this time,
rather than to wait until a national
emergency should arise. Just as the
principle of universal draft was i'm
nerfectly put into effect, during the
war. so will it be adopted again, per-
fectly or imperfectly, in case OF an
other war. Why is it not wise, there
fore. for us, in time of peace, to sit
down around the conference table,
and determine upon plan which VIII
he fair and more nearly perfect than
anv possible plan which might be
agreed upon, during the stress OF
war?
Wants Understanding.
"And this is just what the Legion
is asking for today. Assuming that
the principle of universal draft is
correct. we believe that the various
elements to our national life should
come together and speak frankly
and dispassionately relative to this
imnortant matter, and then, ana
there a plan should be determined
upon which would govern our ma
tion in the use of our capital and
material and man power IN the event
of another international confilct' Be
lieving that a definite understanding
between capital, industry, transpor-
tation. labor and man power can pc
more quickly and satisfactorily
reached by conference rather than
bv long distance argument, the Leg
ion has prepared and introduced INTO
the Senate of the United States res
oIution. known as the Reed resolu-
tion and in the House of Represen-
tatiyes, the resolution, known as tne
wainwright resolution.
am view Of these facts, therefore
II Is nv firm conviction that law
should be written, and Wrltten now,
which would draft every man. every
industry, every natural resource anu
: every manufacturing enterprise lntO
the service of common cause, III
case of another war. If you Will &c
= that YOU will take the profit out oi
. war. as nearly as it can be taken out
of International conflict. You Will
' take the burden off the shoulders ol
! the men who carry the rifles, and dis
/ tribute it equally as between the
citizens, whether in or out OF uni
form. When American capital Is
forced to give as freely of its dollars
as American manhood gives OF Its
' blood, and when such principle is
written into the law of the land, and
made available for use, during the
= time of national emergencies, then
: in my humble opinion, we will nave
S,,ydonoantalIv we'll prepared ma