Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-05-10
Paul MaIIon Says:
Postwar
YOUTH
OutOfDate
Paul MaIlon Says:
By PAUL MALLON

dlteT the war.
Most of mis- hearers concluded
that he had in mind something
like the various European sys-
TENS of military training.
In most democracieS before
the war, youths were required
TO serve a year in the army.
This was done not because il
improved the young man but
because the nations could not
otherwise m S er formidable
military forces from their small
populations.
Compulsory military training
has often been discussed in the
United States but never at
tempted. We have never thought
we needed such a large army.
THE New Dealers around the
l. President. however, think his
terse remark was widely mis-
understood.
They do not believe he has any
idea of forced military training
but is thinking along the same
old lines he has followed on this
subject in the past.
The orthodox New Deal text
book on youth and youth train
ing by the state apparently IS
an essay on peace by the Vic
torian Harvard philosopher, Will
liam James.
His idea was 10 inject pacifism
into youth.
He thought war could be ended
IL an outlet could be found for
the pugnaciouS- exuberance of
youth and If physical substi-
tute in farming, for instance,
could be developed in them.
At least this is the way the
New Deal philosophers tell II.
A MINOR experiment along
"A that line was tried in 1871
under government auspices.
Some Harvard and Dartmouth
graduates were brought, under
the leadership OF Prof. Rosen-
stock-Huessy. into experimental
farming work at Camp William
James. Sharon. VI.
Much political ado was stirred
up about the matter when Rep.
Engel (R) of Michigan dug out
OF Who's Who the fact that Prof.
Rosenstock-Huessy was not then
Cl94D an American citizen and
had instituted the German labor
camps from 1925 10 1888.
The especially enthusiastic coll
umnist Dorothy Thompson was
identified with the experiment,
which is apparently still going
on in some trivial aftermath.
At least. DR.. Rosenstock-
Huessy is still around and inter-
ested. and some Harvard men
are supposed 10 be working on
several farms in New Hampshire
or Vermont.
The experiment, however, was
never satisfactory 10 any one
involved. and publicity about it
vanished as we'll as any known
government connection with II.
MIR. ROOSEVELT. however, is
NI supposed TO have been a
close follower of James. who was
popular with students around
the time of Mr.. Roosevelt's grad
uation from Harvard in 1904.
SO many students attended
James lectures that they packed
out through the doors into the
hallway.
The line Of youth service 10 be
proposed here after the war may
therefore run into a yet unsus-
pected direction.
II Is more likely To seek TO
utilize the facilities of the fed
eral government to give non
military training or something in
the way Of a substitute for mill
tary training. from which the
Hilg NlNdi OtlitllAS VI AIlt JdlIlNS
philosophy may be derived.
Any columniSt will certainly
be over his depth wading into
such unmeasured and bottomless
ideals. But any one can join the
argument. as apparently many
people already have.
THE Importance of the James
Il ideal in the postwar world
would seem 10 me TO rest en-
tirely upon the question of
whether Mr.. Stain, Generals
Simo Chang Kai-Shek. Mr..
Churchill and others would in
iect their youth with the same
antitoXln serum.
Its success in bringing peace
10 the future world would de-
pend more on what other ma
tons did than what we do.
Indeed the idea might itself
lead inevitably TO war aFp.n if
we practiced peace ara others
did not. because the military
weakness of our ideals would in
vite a challenge by whoever
wanted TO conquer us.
Wars do not spring from the
pugnacious exuberance of youth
as Prof. James supposed.
Certainly this one did not. II
sprang from a challenge 10 our
civilization by ruthless agrees
Sors who stole the march on us
while we studied ways of APP
peasement and peace.
Mr.. James did not have the
advantage of knowing the WAYS