$$241-243] THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT 201 We are asking ourselves shall we be prepared to defend our homes and our shores? Stand ready, and insist that everybody who represents you should stand ready, to provide the means for maintaining the honor of the United States. Do you want it (the voice of the United States) to be only a voice of insistence? Do you want the situation to be such that all that the President can do is to write messages, to utter words of protest?-Do you wish to have all the world say that the flag of the United States, which we love, can be stained with impunity? I have come out to tell you from my own knowledge that circumstances over which we have no control may at some time, whether we will or not, draw us into difficulties which will make it absolutely necessary that we should be adequately prepared for national defense. (Extracts from Speeches in Middle West.) C. [$243] PREPARATION OF MEN. 1. Specific References on the Section. See 88131-133, 140-141 above. Supplements, Army War College Statement of Proper Military Cyclopedia of American Government. Articles on "Army of the Fortescue, Granville. Howe, Lucien. Fore-Armed. (Philadelphia, Winston & Co., Universal Military Education and Service. (N. Y., Putnam, 1916.) Kuenzli, Fred A., and Panzer, Henry. A Manual of Physical Training and Preparatory Military Instruction. (N. Y., Macmillan, 1916.) Kuenzli, Fred A. Right and Duty, or, Citizen and Soldier. (N. Y., National Defense Institute, 1916.) This book covers the Massachusett's Commission. Report on Military Training in the Schools (1917). Maxim, H. Defenceless America, 136. O'Ryan, Major-General J. F. The Modern Army in Action. (N. Y., McBride, Nast, 1914.) Palmer, Major John McAuley. An Army of the People. (N. Y., Putnam, 1916.) U. S. Senate Committee on Military Affairs. Report (1917). Woodhull, M. V. West Point in Our Next War. (N. Y., Putnam, 1915.) Esp. chs. iii, iv and post-script. Amer. Acad. of Polit. Science (N. Y.). Proceedings, VI, No. 4, p. 262 (July, 1916). A number of valuable articles by experts. Giddings, Franklin H. "The Democracy of Universal Military Service," in Amer. Acad. of Pol. and Soc. Sci., Annals, LXVI 173-180 (July, 1916). Moss, Capt. James A., and Stewart, Capt. M. B. Self-Helps for the Citizen Soldier. (Menasha, Wis., Banta, 1915.) Lippmann, Walter. "Integrated America," in New Republic, VI. 62. (Feb. 19, 1916.) Moseley, Maj. George van H., Harding, Edward, and Pratt, John T. "The American Plan for Universal Military Training," in National Service, 74-84 (March, 1917.) The Chamberlain Bill. Battine, Cecil. "Conscription vs. Democracy," in Fortnightly Review, vol. 103, pp. 1043-1056 (June, 1915.) Coulton, G. G. "Continental Democracy and Compulsory Military Service," in ibid, vol. 106, pp. 55-65 (July, 1916). Hurd, A. "How England Prepared for War," in ibid, vol. 102, pp. 406-420 (Sept., 1914). Kershaw, J. B. C. "The New Army and the Recruiting Problem," in ibid, vol. 103, pp. 308-321 (Feb., 1915). Mallock, W'. H. "Democracy and Industrial Efficiency," in ibid, vol. 105, 578-589, 964-975 (Apr., June, 1916). Money, L. G. C. "Recruiting and Organization for War," in ibid, vol. 103, pp. 865-673, vol. 104, pp. 363-377 (May, Aug., 1915). Firth, J. B. "Creating the British Army," in N. Y. Times Current History, IV. 669-672 (Aug., 1916). Gross, H. H. "Universal Military Training," in Forum, LVII, 259-264 (Mar., 1917). O'Ryan, J. F. "Role of the National Guard," in North American Review, vol. 211, pp. 364-372 (Sept., 1915). Stockton, Richard. "Administration's Military Policy," in ibid, vol. 203, pp. 204-215 (Feb., 1916). Brooks, Sydney. "How to Raise Armies," in ibid, vol. 205, pp. 376-388 (Mar., 1917). Belmont, Perry. "The First Line of National Defense," in ibid, vol. 202, pp. 883-889 (June, 1915). Garrison, L. M. pp. 633-840. "Problem of National Defense," in ibid, vol. 201, Wood, Gen. L. "Universal Training," in Outlook, vol. 114, p. 883 (Dec. 27, 1916). Anon. "Universal Military Training," in ibid, vol. 115, p. 60 (Jan. 10, 1917). McCormick, Maj. Robert R. "Ripe for Conquest," in Century, XCI, 833-839 (April, 1916). Vrooman, F. B. "Our Next Step," in ibid, XCII, 193-197 (June, 1916). Possibility of a general Japanese alliance. Wood, Eric F. "Army Reform," in ibid, XCI, 241-249 (Dec., 1915). Wood, E. F. "New Army Act and the Militia," in ibid, XCII, 801-812 (Oct., 1916). Shows inadequacy of federalization of (Shows inadequacy of federalization of the National Guard.) Emerson, H. "Efficiency Expert on National Defense," in Review of Reviews, LI, 48 (Jan., 1915). Greene, Gen. F. V. Present Military Situation in U. S. (N. Y., Scribner, 1915.) Gross, H. H. "Universal Military Training," in Forum, LVII, 259. 264 (March, 1917).. Great Britain. "Text of the Service Act of Jan. 27, 1916," in N. Y. Times Current History, III, 1095 (March, 1916). $243] 2. PREPAREDNESS OF MEN 203 Northcliffe, Lord. "The Army Behind the Army," in ibid, IV, 20 (Oct., 1916). "Kitchener on Conscription," in Nation, vol. 104, pp. 448-449 (April 19, 1917). Anon. "How Shall We Raise an Army?" in ibid, vol. 104, p. 394 (April 5, 1917). Fish, C. R. "Raising Armies," in New Republic, X, 319-320 (April 14, 1917). "Morality of Conscription," in ibid, 7-8 (March 5, 1917). "Conscription for America," in ibid, IX, 285-286 (Jan. 13, 1917). Stimson, H. L. "Basis for National Military Training," in Scribner's Magazine, LXI, 408-412 (April, 1917). Roosevelt, Franklin D. "On Your Heads," ibid, 413-416. Mabie, E. C. "Compulsory Military Service," University Debaters Eckstein, F. "Canada's Part in the War," in World's Work, Beveridge, A. J. "As Witnessed in Germany," in Review of Re- Stoddard, T. Lothrop. "How Europe's Armies Take the Field," in Green, L. M. "Military Training in the Public Schools," in ibid, Gradenwitz, A. "Military Training for German Youth," in ibid, Menkel, W. "Plattsburg Response," in ibid, 300-308 (Sept., 1915). Hibben, G. "Colleges and National Defense," in Independent, How to be Provided. (a) Big permanent standing army dangerous and undesirable. (b) (c) Voluntary enlistment irregular and distributes the burdens unequally. (d) A national army raised by "selected conscription" the only solu tion. 3. Reason for Universal Military Service. (a) Defense of the State by all able-bodied men who are needed, is an inherent duty. (b) Constitution of the United States authorizes "raising armies"; means raising them in such ways as may be necessary for the purpose. (c) Men were drafted in the Revolution, War of 1812 and the Civil (d) This universal duty equivalent to duty of paying taxes and of voting. 4. Method of Selective Conscription Now in Force. (a) Digest of the statute of May, 1917. (b) (c) President's Proclamation of May, 1917. Registration day of June 5th. (d) Method of drawing men out of the registration lists. (e) Fairness of thus distributing the duty of service equally among all the States. (f) Principle and application of exemptions. 5. Training of Soldiers. (a) Cannot begin till camps are established, and clothing and supplies are ready. (b) Proper length of intensive training from three to nine months. (c) Absolute necessity of training in modern warfare, such as trenches, bombs, machine guns, mines, aeroplanes, etc. 6. Supply of Trained Officers. (a) Absolutely necessary for any efficient service. (b) Regular officers so far as they go, especially in high commands. (c) Militia officers and experienced soldiers so far as available. (d) Competent men from schools, workshops and farms. (e) Absolute necessity of trained officers-no political brigadiers. 7. Documents and Extracts on the Section. (a) [8244] Weakness of the Volunteer System. FAILURE ON THE BORDER IN 1916. Congress made an attempt to supply this lack of expansion joints in our military system by Federalizing the National Guard and, fortunately, the plan was immediately put to a test in the call for mobilization upon the Mexican border. The result was half ludicrous, half tragic. What turned up at the border was a mass of the best-hearted boys and men in America, but they were not an army. Theoretically the call of the President on June 18, 1916, added 140,000 trained soldiers to the forces of the United States; and by July 30, 110,000 of the militia were actually on the border; but 45,000 out of the 110,000 were absolutely green men, and. taking the regiments as a whole, they were not equipped for war. There were machine-gun companies without machine guns; there were troops of cavalry without horses; there were horses without shoes; there were field pieces without the animals to draw them, and artillery officers who did not know how to give the necessary commands to fire their guns. Even after these regiments had been in border camp as long as from two to four months, many of them were still unfit for service, and United States regular army officers were conducting inspections to determine the degree of their readiness, and were rendering written reports thereon. "It is not fit to take the field in active operations," is a comment often found in these inspectors' returns. And "37 per cent. of green men;" "42 per cent. green;" "over 88 per cent. joined after the call," are notes that tell their own story of the untutored character of these theoretically trained troops. One great argument for the volunteer army in America has been that in this country everybody is accustomed to the use of firearms. Evidently that day is going. "Of those armed with the rifle, 382 had not fired before the call," is one observation; "494 men had not fired prior to the call and only ten rounds since," is another. Yet the report adds encouragingly: "Men and officers earnest and energetic." Occasionally a regiment gets something distinctly uncomplimentary pinned upon it, as, for instance: "Officers and men deficient in training and experience necessary for proper care of themselves, men and animals in actual field service." "It would take three months to make these men into good soldiers," and "Could be made efficient in six months," are illuminating reflections upon others. "It will require a year's training to make them efficient," was the pessimistic plaint about another. But sometimes the reports have a hopeful ring: "The men §§243-244] EXPERIENCE OF VOLUNTEERING 205 look hardy and healthy, and are beginning to look and march like soldiers;" and "three months would make them very good troops." Occasionally, too, the men did better than the officers, and weeding out had to be recommended. "Some of the officers have not made good and should be replaced," is an example. VOLUNTEERING NEVER DID WORK. In the Revolution the voluntary system gave us 89,000 men in the first year, but left us flat with only 29,000 in the last year; and that at a time when bounties of money and land offered as inducements to the individual to volunteer for his country's service had reached as high as $1,200. Furthermore, this system. left the Thirteen States in critical moments with armies that were insignificant, and there was a day when the destinies of the young republic hung by the slender thread of an army of 4,000 men, which was all that Washington could muster when he crossed the Delaware at Trenton. In the War of 1812 the voluntary system served us even worse. As the result of the short-enlistment period, over half a million different men were mustered into service in a two-year war in which the total force of regular troops landed here by the English invaders was under 20,000. Moreover, the volunteers in our land forces did not conduct themselves in a way to make us proud. Our cheeks flush at the memory of what happened at Detroit, and we hang our heads entirely over the fiasco at Washington when an American alleged army, after sustaining a loss of only eight killed and eleven wounded, abandoned the nation's capital to a British army very much inferior in size. In fact, the single important land engagement of that time which is distinctly to our credit was the Battle of New Orleans; and in that Jackson would undoubtedly have captured the entire British army had not 800 militia on his right failed him by breaking under the attack of a slight English force-thus throwing away a great opportunity. It was fortunate for the volunteer system that Great Britain was too busy with Napoleon to give much attention to the tiny affair on this side of the Atlantic. She fought it in about the way she is to-day fighting the German colonists in East Africa. THE PRICE OF A VOLUNTEER ARMY. The record of the militia for inefficiency in this war of 1812 so disgusted Thomas Jefferson that he, always a militia advocate, came out for universal service. According to Frederic L. Heidekoper, in his remarkable book, "The Military Unpreparedness of the United States," the great tribune of democracy wrote to James Monroe: "It proves more forcibly the necessity of obliging every citizen to be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free State. Where there is no oppression there will be no pauper hirelings. We must train and classify the whole of our male citizens, and make military instruction a regular part of collegiate education. We can never be safe till this is done." Nevertheless, in the Mexican War the voluntary system and |