The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-01-30

they will attack us whether we have
universal military training or not; for
they know that large masses of men
the atomic bomb and they know that
large masses of men cannot defend
any country against the atomic bomb.
Large masses of men are now irrel-
eyant.
So much for the military aspects of
universal military training. The pro-
gram is so weak as a military pro-
gram that it has been thought neces-
sary to bolster it up by calling it an
educational program as well. 1t is
even suggested that it will have splen-
did effects upon the morals of the
young.
AS to this can say only that it
would never occur to me, after two
years as a private in the Army, to
attempt to improve the character of
my son by putting him in the care
of marine sergeant. Education, it
would seem, can best be conducted
in institutions established for the
purpose by persons who have dedi-
Gated their lives to the cause.
The Army can train men to be sol
diers, just as engineering plants can
train men to be mechanics. Neither
armies nor engineering plants can
educate men to be men.
If I understand the proposal cor
rectly-and I may not, for l have not
had chance to read the $4,000
words of the report-it involves dis
criminatory provisions like those
which afflicted the Army Enlisted Re-
serve Corps of unhallowed memory
Apparently boys who can afford to
go to universities, at least to those
which have Reserve Officers Training
Corps, will not be required to spend
the last six months undergoing the
trials and hardships of Army life.
They will be privileged to enter the
university, and there spend a few
hours a week in polite military man.
euvers, while their less fortunate
brethren remain under the supervi-
sion of the armed forces.
The primary requisite for entering
upon the higher learning in America
is money. Those who have the money
can go to the university. Those who
have not cannot.
Therefore this proposal-if under
stand it correctly-is proposal to
give six months military training to
those who have money and II months
to those who have not
The whole plan reflects that Amer
lean attitude toward education. Only
a country which regarded education
as unimportant could seriously con-
slider such scheme, unless, of course,
it was in imminent danger of attack
and felt it necessary to keep its full
under constant mobiliza-
ton.
The United States is not in immi-
nent danger of attack. 1t is the
most powerful nation on earth. If
it were in imminent danger of at
tack, or if it were the weakest ma
ton on earth, universal military
training could not assist it.
But I venture to predict that little
DJSCIIOu Will De raised TO the pro-
osal on the basis of it's most serious
eject, and that is it's interference
18th the educational opportunities of
he young. The reason why little OBJ
ection will be raised on this score
that we do not regard such oppor-
mites as of much significance They
re nice, but they are not necessary.
nd they may not adequately fulfill
le parents dream, which is to have
i'm taken off his hands and taught
10 things he should be taught at
ome, such as punctuality neatness,
scipline, and good order.
These" the American Parent will
", will be drilled into my son in
% Army. | do not want to take the
ouble to teach them to him myself.
@ may not learn them at college.
n for universal military training
[ will not here discuss questions of
iquette, for they do not seem to me
much Importance one way or an
her. But certainly if we are talking
out character, the place to develop
is anywhere hit the A rmv