The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-08-23
VOLUNTARY, OR COMPULSORY
BY J. E. Jones

Washington, d. c., August 10
The political doctors in Washington
disagree, as usual, and the prospects
are very good that the voters Will
have a. chance to help decide tine
biggest question Of our times, which
revolves around the attempts of the
Administration to mobolize large
army under the CONSUMPTION plan.
Strangely enough Harry H. Wood
ring, recently replaced as Secretary
of War, by Mr.. Stimson, has furn-
ished the strongest arguments In
favor of the continuance Of the sys-
TEN of voluntary enlistments.
Mr.. Stimson, backed by President
Roosevelt, and Administration Sena-
tors, have urged CONSUMPTION on the
claim that the voluntary enlistment
system has been a failure.
Former Secretary Woodring, who
was forced out to make way for
Stimson, argues that the only weak
ness in voluntary enlistment exists
in the fact that the basic pay of the
enlisted youth in the Army Is at $21
a month for the first three years
whereas the youth that enlisst in the
Navy at $21 basic pay is usually adj
vanced within sixty days or ninety
days to $50, and in many instances
soon thereafter to $36 month. In
the non-military service the same
youth may join the CCC for one year
at $50 a month. Woodring says he
laid a statement to this effect before
the Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee six or seven months ago. Now,
he has again told the Senate Com
mittee that the voluntary system
has never broken down, and that 1t
should not be called unequal to the
task, until the Chief of Staff of the
United States Army has put the
voluntary system to a thorough test
and is willing to tell the Senate that
it does not work and has "complet-
ely broken down."
The whole issue in the political
headquarters in Washington has
assumed such proportions as to
cause the conservative Washington
Post to comment as follows: "In
asserting that CONSUMPTION is the
only appropriate system for democ-
rarcy, Mr.. Simson is setting up a
conception of the citizens relation
to the State which certainly does
not reflect American democratic
ideals"
Mr.. Woodring, in quoting the pay
standards, says that the only draw
back to the voluntary system is due
to the disadvantages for which our
Government. itself is to blame" He
enlarges on that point by saying:
eff through the influence Of increas-
ing tendency toward paternalism
we have broken down the moral
stamina and fiber of the American
youth, and made regimented atom,
rather than a free individual, and
thereby broken down the voluntary
instinct to serve in patriotic way,
we then unquestionably will have
to adopt a compulsory system for
the defense of this country" When
we have done that, he adds we will
have 'unquestionably left the Amer
lean principle based on the indivi-
dual's freedom of action, and have
adopted bill that smacks of totali-
tarianism."
Mr.. and Mrs. U. s. Public may
find the gist of the whole question in
the above. There never has been a
draft in this country in peace times,
and inasmuch as we are still official
ly anchored to peace the issue is one
of question of what policy should
be pursued by our democrats nation.
With the above statement, your
Washington correspondent refers
the arguement to the dinner and
supper tables of sane people who
live in the homelands of America.
America Can
Several weeks ago, as the pas
senger stepped out of giant air
liner that had just landed at the
New York Municipal Airport, q
group of newspaper men broke
through the lines and rushed over to
meet William S. Knudsen, who was
on his way to Washington to take up
his duties as member of the Ma
tional Defense Commissiin.
"Mr. Knudsen," one of the re-
porters asked. do you think you'll
be able to produce the defense ma
terials that the country needs?"
mo, / can't" said Mr.. Knudsen,
ssbut America can"