Askov American., 1940-08-08

program of military training were
launched today. Control would rest
in the same military caste as before,
and my experience with this caste
suggests that without the compulsion
of war, morale would probably be
lower than it was in 1918. More
over, the peace-time conscript is not
likely to take his job as seriously as
the man seeking knowledge that may
save his life. In the last war it was
difficult to make the average soldier
see the value of close-order drill.
In peace time the traditional routine
makes even less sense.
Some sober-minded persons who
advocate universal military training
in spite of its dangers give two argu-
ments more weight than they deserve.
One is that conscription is means
of getting rid of the military caste
that has held the services in its grasp
for many generations. Only draft
army, it is asserted, can be truly
democratic, because it alone allows
no distinction of class. The idea
appears on the surface to make sense,
but unfortunately it finds little sup
port in the experience of the demo-
cratic countries of Europe which have
| had conscription. The Swiss army
has frequently been held up as
model of democratic efficiency. Yet
a recent study shows that even in
Switzerland highly disproportionate
number of the officers come from
well-to-do families with rightist po-
litical leanings. The same seems to
have been true in France. In this
country conscription would probably
only place more power in the hands
of the present military caste.
Even more persuasive is the argu-
ment that universal military training
is necessary if we are to avoid the
slaughter of unframed youths in the
next war. This belief seems to me
to be based on misreading of his
tory. insufficient training was not
responsible for American young men
being sent to certain death during the
last war. Few men were sent to
the front without an adequate num-
Der of weeks of training. It was SIM
ply the wrong kind of training. Prac-
tically the entire period in camp in
this country was given over to close
order drill and parades. Little or no
attention was paid to maneuvers
Stimulating actual combat conditions.
Many man was sent to France be-
fore he had ever handled rifle, but
this was not for lack of time but for
lack of rifles.
The experiences of the last war,
moreover, can scarcely be used to
illuminate Americas present defense
problem. For under any conditions
that can be foreseen today man.
power is of relatively little import
ance. Experts are generally agreed
that a rational defense program for
the United States requires Cd a two
ocean navy, (2) an enlarged air force
together with greatly improved anti
aircraft defenses, and 60 small but
highly mobile land force. A we'll
equipped, well-trained army of 3OO,-
600, with National Guard of about
the same size in reserve, could meet
any conceivable defense demands.
Such a force would have to be high
ly trained technically. The dough-
boy of the last war must give way
to the technician, skilled in one spe-
cialized duty. This implies a profess
sional army with a relatively long
period of enlistment. Conscript
armies may still have their place in
the land fighting of Europe, but they
are i'll suited to the peculiar defense
needs of this country.
In the light of these facts Senator
Burke's plan for universal military
service seems fantastic His bill looks
forward to the training of all men
between the ages of eighteen and
sixty-four, men between twenty-one
and forty-five being subject to call
for active service. To provide these
tens of millions of men with even the
most fragmentary training would
place an enormous strain on our mill
tary equipment and personnel And
in modern warfare poor training is
little better than none.
If war comes, conscription may
become necessary as a means of mo-
bilizing the entire force of the nation
against the enemy-conscriptio of
economic resources as well as of man.
power. The nature of the training
to be given will depend on the source
of the attack. Presumably more at
| b L.
cation in industrial techniques than
to purely military training. Let us
arm to the limit against Nazi aggres-
sion. But let us not think that we
are safeguarding ourselves against at
tack by teaching our men and boys
to do squads right" and Squads
left under the totalitarian discipline
of an army clique.