Should the USA Have Compulsory

...One knows only top well what the moral influences are that surround camps and infect near-by towns, and what moral perversions can arise in segregation...

...Surgeon General Thomas C. Pnrran...

...For this isolationist attitude we have been compelled to pay a terrible price...

...We have also demonstrated an industrial power unexampled in the world...

...8,500,000 man-days were loot because of strikes, according to the Buresu of Labor Statistics...

...This is the most far reaching and potentially beniftcent political movement to which we have ever been committed as a nation...

...The moral effect of separating boys from' their normal relations in home, school, and native town and church, and herding them together in camps, is the most questionable aspect of the matter...

...As for the effect of discipline, it seems to be forgotten that the only discipline which matters in a democracy is self-control, which Is definitely not taught by regimentation: quite the contrary...

...But it seems clear that if a reserve made up of boys trained year by year would act aa a deterrent to possible aggression we already have in our present overwhelming military might n deterrent incomparably more convincing...

...and that military might is a make-weight in international negotiations...

...It must be our hope, while we contribute our fair share to the common task of policing the world,, that we shall not need to rattle the saber here at home in order to frighten possible evil-doers from abroad...

...On the other hand, there is indeed much unnecessary illness, weakness, instability in our population...

...The physiologists, the physical directors, the educators of the country, are practically unanimous in denying that there is any real and enduring value in such a year of more or less gentle regimentation under more or less competent drill sergeant...

...In part, this is merely a scare story...

...We are bound to devote to it our bast faith as well aa our best intelligence...

...Specializing ia German literature, he is the author ef aeveral books and haa contributed to various literary and philological magazines...

...The startling figures in surgeon-generals' reports on the incidence of veneral disease in army and, navy give sufficient evidence on this point...

...This must begin in childhood and continue at least through adolescence...

...Ia lt23 he wrote a book on personnel management with WaRer Dill Scott Jehu Schelte Nollen is President Emeritus of Grianel College, aad was president ef the Association ef American College* in 1917-1918...

...One of our national evils is malnutrition, which is s prolific cause of weakness snd disease, and the poor are by no means the only sufferers...

...There Is a specially urgent reason why it Is' inexpedient to press for the proposed legislation In the present juncture...

...The estimated annual cost of the proposed conscription of youth, not including equipment, runs to a billion and a half...

...One learns of men highly successful in their professions or businesses — brilliant professors, excellent salesmen, even powerful professional football players—who are rejected by examining boards...

...They tell us that the possible beneficial effects of * year of special training wear off very quickly...

...There is some support, even in high places, for the contention, accepted without much thought by many an ordinary citizen, that it would be a fine thing for the health, the physical vigor, and the morale of our youth if they were compelled to spend a year in barracks under salutary discipline, in sn outdoor life devoted to the service of the country...

...The cure for this is definitely not a year's life in camp after the harm is done, even if the worst sufferers could ever get into camp...

...Aa for security, the argument runs that in case of future war, the aggressor will attack ua first, and without warning...

...He ia interested solely in building up a powerful reserve fee the armed force* of the nation...

...The idealistic argument far conscription makes its appeal to generous patriotic sentiment...

...It happen to be eue ef the meet cherished priest plea of democracy i* ear country that the military is always the servant and never the dictator of political policy...

...Every ex-athlete, even if his athletic prowess has covered several years, can testify that this is exactly what happens...

...For the first time in our history, the government and people of the United States are determined to undertake their full .responsibility in the creation of an international agency organised to curb any possible warlike aggression and to ensure peace and comity among the nations of the world...

...The conditions of successful military service are far removed from the requirements of peacetime occupations...

...that their nation was ee skeptical ef a favorable issue that it was determined to guarantee it* own security by maaas of an unexampled and continuing shew ef force...

...The proponents of peacetime concription do not base their argument solely upon military needs...

...The amount of time lost because of disabling accidents on the job ia more than five times the amount of time lost last year because of strikes...

...He waa a member ef the Committee on ClaasiScation ef personnel In Wsshiagtoa and a lieutenant colonel in the AEF during the last war...

...We have already given convincing evidence of our power...

...80,000,000 man-days are lost esch year because of the common cold, according to U.S...

...Should the USA Have Compulsory Consciption Is Undemocratic and Unnecessary By John Scholte Nollen POWERFUL forces arc at work to secure early action by Congress on a bill providing for peacetime military.conscription for one year for all our boys at age eighteen...

...All this sounds very pretty and idealistic , Unfortunately for this argument, it falls on deaf ears when addressed to people who are really professionally competent in such matters...

...Many a great genius in art, music, literature, science, would be quite useless on the battlefield...

...We cannot afford to present to the world s modiied, but none the leas sinister, farm ef the isolationist fallacy that haa served ua and the world ee ill in the recent past...

...Let it be repeated with insistence: we are engsged at this time in the first honest effort ever made by the United States to cooperate with the United Nations ' in the establishment of an international organization for the express purpose »f providing peace and security for all nations...

...It would be tragic If we were led again by any specious argument to indicate n lack of faith In the conferences at Bretten Woods and Dumbarton Oaks and further steps soon to be taken toward world security...

...In so far aa the letter argument may be valid, it is already completely met We have now, and shall have at the end of the war, incomparably the most powerful fleet and the strongest air force in the world, and land forces far superior in training and actual war experience to anything that could be produced by even twenty years of training of annually recruited boys without previous preparation and combat experience...

...We know now that it was a disastrous mistake for ue to refuse our cooperation after the first world war, in the effort then being made to organise decent international relations...

...Robert C. Clothier has been president pf Rutgers- University since IMS...

...The forces behind the proposed legislation are unwilling to consider such postponement.for the very reason that they fear the effect of "sober second thought," snd being convinced that the action they propose is necessary, they intend to put it over while the public mood seems more favorable to their purpose...

...However, he leaves out of the account the dominant fact that the problem facing Us la the international field ia primarily a political, aad economic problem rather than military...

...He la perfectly honest in his contention that, as the world is constituted, the military necessity cannot be escaped...

...Its effect would he te eaceerage the cauthwaace of the aid nationalistic race far dominant military power, which haa always bean a potent cause ef war...

...It is time that we gave equally convincing evidence of our good will...

...e • - ThERE has been much loose talk about the large proportion of our men who are rejected for military service by examining boards, or have to be discharged after induction...

...Here is how the figures look: 43,500,000 man-days were lost in 1944 because of industrial injuries, according to Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins...

...STRIKES LISS THAN THIRD . OF TIMI LOST THROUGH COLDS WASHINGTON <LPA)—The amount of time lost by workers who were forced to stay home because they had n common cold was more than three times the amount of time lost last year because of strikes...

...Oar represent at i ves in the) counsels of the Uaited Nations weuM play a sorry port in the further negotiation* if they had to confea...

...The advantage of the CCC to the boys enlisted in this corps are alleged as illustrating ' what might be done for all our youth...

...Of course no suggestion is ventured as to the possible source of such aggression...

...Indeed, it could well go over until the end of the war and the return of the men in our armed forces, in order that Congress might profit by the "sober second thought" of sll the people...

...above all ethers, can well afford to await the outcome ef the plana new being internationally develeped for the protection ef all peoples againat aggression...

...The only cure is better education for health, physical vigor, and moral responsibility...

...Tnere is therefore ample time for mature consideration of the Issues involved ia conscription...

...LaST August SB, Tkm Htm Louder presented a for am on toaapulsary postwar eaancrlptiuu te which several leaden ef American thought con t Hooted...

...If one can Imagine international negotiations as a glorified poker game, then the United States can put cards on the table which no other nation can possibly match...

...If we could imagine legislation wise enough to appropriate half this amount for a resolute effort, with federsl support but under local control, to improve the nutritional standards and the health and physical education of our children, a hundred times more would be accomplished in building up the physical and moral vigor of our population, than by a process of regimentation through conscription...

...The military prepeuent ef conscription ia a realist aad wastes ae time ever the supposed beauties of the CCC and healthy outdoor life...

...This legislation would imply such a violent departure from our historic principles and policies that it would seem to require the widest discussion, based upon complete information to the public on all the issues involved...

...Many of our military leaders favor, peacetime conscription for two reasons: that a permanently large reserve of military*power is necessary to our security in case of aggression in the future...

...and Congress can continue the present selective service system aa long aa there ia need...

...We are peculiarly adapted to a role of leadership in this effort, because we have succeeded uniquely in welding men of every race and nationality into a common citizenship...

...In this Issue we carry longer articles by two leading educators who take opposing stands en the problem...

...So for at least ten years after the war ends our security is as secure aa it can conceivably be made, without the expedient of the proposed peacetime conscription of our youth...