The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-11-16
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COMPULSORY MILITARY
TRAINING
Colora, Md.
11-4-1945

Midland Journal
Dear Editor:
May l call to your attention some
thinking on the question of Compul
sorry Military Training, as the prob
lem has been claiming large part of
my thinking during the past few
weeks, and especially since the Pres
ident, at the request of the War De
partment, made his speech favoring
it, He very naturally would follow
the advice of the Military men in
planning for Military defense. But
that does not convince me in the
least that we must, even in the face
of the fact of the Atomic Bomb which
we developed and use for the first,
second, and we trust the last time, as
an instrument of war, depend on mil
itary power for defence.
| should like to quote from letter
addressed to the President by Rich
ard R. Wood, the secretary of the
Friends Peace Committee. some para
graphs which tell better than | cal.
say it, the truth as l also see it.
Compulsory Military Training
means of increasing national arm
ID force. Peace can never be assure
| by national armed fierce. because wa.
| IS genealliy the lerlt of unintcndet
onficts VIXEN nations, each seekin
ec-rity thrc, gil Is cwn armed force
rnintentiona!ly impair the security
Of their neighbors. The unsatisfac
tory relations among the victorious
lation today arise chienJ from theil
elance on national armed force. TN
ess the greatest care is taken, you
proposal will seem to indicate deter
lninatiLn to continue That state o
affairs.
You, yourself say that II derr
wars are 70 ght By experts. 1t is har,
to see what purrose years training
can have, becU.sa expert knowledge
will be qaicl2iy lost, and in few
years viii be 50 out date as to bt
misleading. except in the case of the
protest. mails. The general alertnes!
of mind and vigor of body which yol
imply are the purpose of your pro
gram are more likely to be attained
by strengthening the educationa
system.
1.-THE total spent on education, ele
mentary and advanced, public ant
private, in this country, is abou
three billion dollars annually. Yol
do not mention the cost, but from
one to two billion dollars has beel
mentioned by advocates of such
system as you propose 1t is a ques
ton whether, as war-spending is cur
tailed such a burden would not ham
per the general educational program
and so decrease the general menta
and physical alertness which you de
sire to promote.
"You propose no exception excep
total physical disability. To tie re
ligious pacifist, to such as the Frient
preparation for war is as MORAL.
wrong as war. The essence of reli
gious pacifism is the obligation to re
spect the personality of other person
and so not to rely on provision TO
coercing them by armed force. Whil
it is debatable whether the world i
yet ready to act on that obligation,
think it is clear that is a COOL thin!
for the world to have some peopl
who are prepared to act on it. | be
lieve the presence of such men help
greatly in developing the mutua
consideration under law which mus
ren1ace arbitrary coercion nv armAl
force if the world or any nation
is ever to achieve lasting securit,
avainst aggression and war
For these reasons l am greatl
disturbed by your proposal and hop
that you will come to deisre consider
able modification of it for the SAX
of more secure peace and more rea
human freedom"
Bertha Balderston