Evening star., 1945-06-21
Letters to The Star

Discusses Peacetime Conscrip-
tion in Terms of Integrity
To the Editor of The Star:
In the course of our national history,
we have passed, as do all nations,
through a series of crises. In all of
these the Nation as whole had hand
in the solution of the problem of the
moment. However, we now are faced
with a crisis concerning which not all
of us can have our proper expression
of opinion. The permanent selective
service bill now being debated in Con-
gress can be viewed only as a crisis be-
cause it is SO contrary to the principles
of our Government. Yet millions of
voters who have had a personal expe-
rience with service draft are now, so
far as effect can be measured, beyond
the hearing of the Nation. 1t is with
the hope that my weak voice may be
heard that this is written.
The announced purpose of the perma-
nent draft is permanent preparation of
adequate defense for our country. Why
do we wish to defend our country? We
went to war to safeguard Our national
liberty and our individual freedom (of
which the latter is more typically
American and to my way of thinking,
more Important But does a man re-
tain his personal freedom in the Army?
In time of War-a period of national
emergency--a man may relinquish part
nf EhprtV n n ia
possession of that liberty at a later
date. A comparison between the num-
Der of volunteers at the outbreak of war
and the number of men in the Army
during times of peace proves effectively
that Americans are willing to sacrifice
part of their freedom during war but
that they are not prepared to do so dur
ing peace.
The Army and the Navy would have
us believe that we are to live in a con-
stant state of emergency. For a state
of emergency is the only condition under
which Americans have been willing to
tolerate encroachments upon their lib
erty and submit to a service draft.
Assuming. on the other hand, that we
are not to live in perpetual state of
emergency. We Americans should not be
obliged to give up any part of our indi-
vidual liberty. Yet we should provide
for the defense of our country. How to
do that properly is very difficult ques-
ton and one upon which not even
military experts agree But, for the
cob 70 nf Lot
the school of thought favoring a large
Army is correct.
Previous to this war, we were not able
TO maintain large standing Army.
Why? One major factor was the un-
willingness of Americans to give up
their civil rights and personal dignity
to the Army. And. as the Army has
been and now is constituted, loss OF lib
erty and dignity are foregone conclu-
sions. 1t is only because of the Armv's
present organization that sufficient VOL
unteers cannot be found. Reorganize
the Army SO that its Fascist traits are
removed and inducements to initiative
substituted, and it will be discovered
that the Army composed of volunteers
only will approach a satisfactory size.
One of the most disturbing aspects
of the problem of permanent draft is
the fact that its proponents are trying
to push it through Congress now while
most of the servicemen are overseas.
As long as we try to maintain a repre-
sentative Government, no question so
crucial should be discussed or brought
to vote in Congress until the large
number Of voters in the services are
back in the States where their opinions
can be heard properly.
T sergt. ROBERT F. NIGER,
Bavaria.