Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-06
Nibbling at National Defense

During the first year of the World
War, after mobile operations had set
tied down to trench warfare, Papa"
Joffre was once asked how he expected
to make any progress against the in
vader. I'VE nibble," said the French
generalissimo, in phrase which forth
with became boulevard slang to describe
the war of attrition upon which the al
lies so laboriously embarked.
I'VE nibble" appears to be the slogan
of those elements in this country which
are bent upon undermining national
defense. One of the nibbles most per-
sistently and Systematically kept up is
that which seeks to abolish military
training in schools and colleges. Slowly,
but steadily, the pacifist organization
maintained for this particular purpose
seems to be accomplishing it.
1t has already seen the State Legisla-
ture at Madison do away with training
in national defense at the University
OF Wisconsin. A similar movement has
been under way in Iowa. When the
Federal Government many years ago es-
tablished the land-grant colleges, mill
tary training was included in the cur
riculum of every institution which de-
rived aid from the United States Treas
ury. In June, 1880, for some not clearly
understood reason, the Attorney General
ruled that military training is optional.
not obligatory, In land-grant colleges.
All and sundry of these DEVELOPMENTS
amount to nibbling at national defense.
Now comes the latest manifestation of
the sleepless drive to depopularize arms
bearing among American youth. The
War Department budget for the fiscal
year 1882 contemplates material cut
in the appropriation for retired Army
officers on active duty.
For two years In succession nibbling
in this specific direction has been In
progress. In the fiscal year 1880, the
item was $l74,500. For 1881 it was re-
duced to $168,650, while the estimates
for 1882 slash 1t to $131,132. There are
now one hundred and forty former Of
f1cers on active duty, of whom one hun
bred and eleven are instructors at
schools and colleges.
If appropriations are cut for 1892 to
IS per cent Of the 1880 figure, the re-
duction, 1t is almost certain, will be
from the ranks of the school and COL
lege instructors. The retired officers
now on instruction duty have under
their training, it Is conservatively esti-
mated, total of 45,276 students.
1t is plain that without provision
for instructors the whole institution
Of military training in schools and COL
leges is threatened. This is precisely
what pacifists want. 1t is one Of the
first trenches their propaganda army
seeks to capture in the campaign
against national defense. Having
achieved the overthrow Of the military
training system for the youth of the
land, the next objective would natu-
rally be the National Guard, the Re-
serve Corps, and then the Army of
the United States itself.
Here In Washington, where the high
school cadets have for more than
generation been one Of the community's
cherished prides, the latest nibble of the
anti-defense forces merits special at
tention. The District of Columbia
hopes that Congress will see to it that
military training in American schools
and colleges is not nibbled out of ex-
istence.