Askov American., 1940-08-08

citizens. On the first point there is
little room for argument. Military
training, like any other form of or
ganized exercise, is beneficial phys
ically. The more intensive the train
ing, the greater, under most circum-
stances, are the physical benefits.
Sloppy, half-hearted training which
leaves the recruit with hours of time
hanging on his hands may actually
be detrimental physically. AS to the
other supposed gains, the effects of
military service are the reverse of
those claimed.
Take, for example, the matter of
discipline. No one will deny that in
tensive military training involves
strict discipline. Discipline is in
dispensable for effective military op-
erations. A certain type of discipline
is also valuable in civil life. But
American army discipline as enforced
ing for life under a dictatorship than
in democracy. 1t was anything but
a conscious, self-imposed discipline.
No effort was made to explain its
purpose. Obedience was expected to
be unquestioning. Every detail of
the soldiers life, including much of
his recreation, was controlled from
above. Individual initiative of any
type was distinctly not encouraged
in the ranks. 1t was prerogative
of officers. Absolute discipline is of
course necessary in war. But main
tain that the efficiency it creates is
gained at the expense of those quail
tiles of human personality most es-
sential to a democracy. 1t is sheer
hypocrisy to pretend, as do the mill
tary-minded, that discipline "builds
men," Its purpose is to create not
men but robots.
Nor does military training build
self-reliance. A soldier may be ac-
customed to hardships, but he is not
practiced in bearing responsibility.
His food, clothing, shelter and en-
ployment are provided by the gov
ernment. AS a result, civilian life
with its uncertainties and lack of Sc
curity becomes rather terrifying.
have known able young men who
have reenlisted in the army year after
year because they lacked confidence
in their ability to cope with civilian
problems. And 1 can testify from
personal experience to the deadly,
enervating effect of having all de-
cisions made by superiors. 1t is par
ticularly unfortunate that military
training should usually come just at
the period when boys are attempting
to escape from the sheltered life of
childhood and take their places in
the world. For it definitely impedes,
if it does not altogether block, that
process.
Equally demoralizing for the de-
veloping personality is the dull rou-
tine of military life. Wholesome rec
reation is almost completely lacking.
To be sure, there is a certain amount
of supervised athletics, and some
''uplift' recreation is provided by the
Y. NJ. c. A. and the Salvation Army.
But the average young soldier wants
to get away from supervision and up
lift in his free time. He wants, if
possible, to use his Scant leisure as
he chooses. He would like, above all,
the companionship of young women
of his own kind. This is rarely pos
sible. So, at best, the average SOL
dier idles away his spare hours in
desultory talk or in playing cards or
shooting dice; at worst, he spends his
time, at least before pay day is too
far in the past, in bars or brothels
Often he can literally find nothing
else to do. Good current books or
magazines are rarely available. Moth
ing is provided to appeal to the in
tellectual or artistic interests of youth
The effect is particularly bad in the
case of pampered youngsters who
have never learned to stand on their
own feet. And how many young men
of eighteen to tWenty-one are really
fortified against the dull monotony
of military life?
For years our jingoes have lauded
military training as a means Of de-
have opposed it on the ground that
it tends to create a military mind
set, that it makes killers out of other
wise normal young men. Actually, it
develops neither patriotism nor mill
tarism, as millions of former service
men can testify. The average soldier
in the ranks comes to dislike or de-
spise his officers, and soon his resent
ment is extended to the government
which is responsible for the injustices
and petty inconvenience of military
life. Our conscript is not patriotic;
he is cowed and submissive though
inwardly Seething with rebellion.
This attitude may, as military men
insist, make a good soldier. 1t does
not make a good citizen.
l have reserved for the last what
seems to me to be the most serious
indictment of military training, espe-
cially in peace time, namely, that such
training conduces to inefficiency and