The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-08-15
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HUGH S.
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BIBLE AND CONSUMPTION

WASHINGTON. - My repeated
statement that compulsory selective
service is also of biblical origin has
been challenged.
Well, the draft consists of three
steps. First comes registration of
the whole adult male population and
classification as to availability for
military service. In Numbers 26; l
and "The Lord spake unto Moses
i. saying take the sum of all the
congregation of the Children of Is
rael from 20 years old and upward
throughout their fathers houses, all
that are able to go to war in Is
rael." The ensuing first "registra-
ton report showed Col, 730 regis
trants.
The next step is the assignment of
quotas. Numbers 31-3 "Moses spake
). arm some of yourselves unto
the war of every tribe a thou
sand ;. shall we send to the war;"
They were drafted and inducted.
Some men are exempted" &C
cording to regulations. For rules
of exemption in the Mosaic draft,
see Deuteronomy 20; SO. Briefly,
they exempted men who were pro-
viding homes and had not 'dedi-
Gated" them, newly married men,
men who were growing vineyards
not yet mature and, curiously
enough, self-confessed towards. In
Deuteronomy 24-5, the married
man" exemption was confined to one
year.
The theory of this selective serv-
ice is found in Numbers 1926 Sand
Moses said unto the children of Cad
(Gad correct) and the children of
Reuben" (who wanted to call it a
day in the conquest of Canaan)
"shall your brethren go to war and
shall we sit here?" Then he recalled
an earlier evasion of military serv-
ice by the children at Kadesh-Bar-
nea and reminded them that ''the
Lords anger was kindled against
Israel and he made them wander in
the wilderness for 40 years." The
entire tribes of Reuben and Cad
(Gad correct) marched, "every man
armed to battle"
Maybe all that was not faithful
forerunner of our selective service
system of 1917 and the Burke-Wads-
worth bill of today, but it seems so
to me. 1t is interesting but unim-
portant, because there is no respect
able argument in law, morals or
ethics against the universal obliga-
ton to military service when it is
necessary to the safety of a people.
It is inherent in the social compact.
These be four dollar words but I
imagine something like this hap
pened.
Og and Ug and some other cave
men got tired of losing hides, cat
tie and women every time some
great Neanderthaler Snaggletooth in
the next valley decided to raid off
the reservation. Singly he could
bash in the brains Of any. They
held a conference and ub-glubbed a
gang-up on him. The next time he
came they sent him bowling home.
That kept the peace. Some kind of
society became possible and that
tribe was formed and on it's way to
better things and the more abundant
life. Fine. But could Og or Ug, or
whoever live under the protection of
that pact for months or years, when
old Snaggletooth threatened again
as Moses said-sit there while their
brethren went to war! 1t is an in
escapable duty of every single man
who has enjoyed the collective pro-
lection of any nation.
The objections won't stand up.
''We have not done it before" We
have rarely needed to do it before.
But every time we have needed to
do it, we have done it-three times.
eyes, but not in peace-only in
war"
The obligation arises with the dan
ger and in proportion to it. This
danger is great enough. This duty
has nothing to do with the legal
formality of a declaration of war.
Few recent wars have been "de-
clared." If we had to wait idly for
that we would be lost.
In modern war you can't fight if
you're not trained. If there is an
obligation to fight there is an obi
cation to train.
A STUPID BLUNDER
The change in the proposed draft
bill ages 21-31 from ages 1916 for
registration, was forced by an abb
surd scarehead ballyhoo that fooled
a lot of people into believing that
the "draft would affect 42,000,0 900
men at terrific expense and no ne
cesSity."
The draft will affect only the num-
Der of men drafted. That has moth
ing whatever to do with the num-
Der registered-except that if too
few are registered the whole scheme
becomes grotesquely inefficient and
unfair. The change-at least as it
relieves men between Is and 81, and
those over 81 from registration-is a
stupid blunder.
1t is true that we started the
World war draft at ages 81 to 30
but, as we later learned, it was a
mistake. 1t had to be corrected by
widening the range to 18-45.
If you are going to get the full
benefit to the government of scien-
tific selection, you want the widest
possible field of selection. On the
other hand, one purpose of the draft
is to get the necessary men with the
least possible interference with FAM
lily, educational and economic life.