Evening star., 1940-07-30
The Political Mill
Compulsory Troining Foes Overlook Probability
World Will Be Armed Comp for Years

adopt a plan for universal mill
tary training and service. He has
back of him vast public senti-
ment, so vast that a majority OF
the members of Congress who a
few weeks ago were lukewarm or
actually opposed to the plan, have
now come around to its support
The country does not wish to have
It's young men go into action against
trained enemy-if they must
without the knowledge of how to
fight and to use the modern weap-
ons of warfare.
Two of the leading contenders
for the Republican presidential
nomination a few weeks ago, Sena-
tor Taft and Senator Vandenberg,
are holding back. Wendell L. Will
kie, the G. o. P. nominee for Presi-
dent, has declared himself for full
preparedness. 1t is the earnest hope
Of a large number of his followers
that he give his support to the
plan for universal military train
ing. He himself is a veteran of the
World War, having served overseas.
1t seems incredible that he will
hesitate IN this matter of real pre-
paredness, to range himself in IA
vor of military training.
Training Won't Be Wasted.
Whether this country becomes in
volved in the European struggle or
is faced with war in the Orient
the period of military training for
the men Of this country will not
have been wasted. If there is war
1T will be invaluable. If there is
no war, then in all probability the
preparations made by this country
will play a great part in prevent
Ing war. 1t is one thing to attack
the United States when 1t is un-
prepared. Another thing to tackle
Uncle Sam when he is ready.
The argument that there should
be no military draft during time OF
peace is the argument of those
who close their minds to what is
going on In the world. They do
not seem to realize that for the
next SO or 100 years, and certainly
for the next quarter century, this
world will be an armed camp. The
one trouble with the present plan
for universal military training is
that it Is temporary in character
1t should be made permanent-no
matter whether or not temporary
peace is patched up in Europe and
the Orient. One thing at a time,
however.
Once the United States has a sys-
tenn of military preparation, a sys-
tenn that continues, the chances for
attack against this Nation dwindle
to the vanishing point. And even
II efforts are made by foreign foes,
they will fail in all probability.
1t has been an axiom over the
ages that if a people wants free
dom. it must be willing to fight for
1t. And those who have been un-
willing to fight-and, most impor-
tant, unprepared to fght-have
had their liberty taken away.
If this Nation is not properly
prepared to fight, the only move
possible Is "appeasement." Ap-
peasement has been a dull failure
dull because it has been unintelli-
gent-as practiced by Great Britain
and France. Who believes today
that the men of force who are on
the move in Europe and Asia will
have any regard for an America
holding out olive branches-and
unprepared?
Arguments for universal training
have been advanced in this column
before. But aside entirely from the
need for actual preparation for war
and national defense, military train
ing will be of inestimable value to
youth which has become softer