Hide Article Text (OCR)
Why Universal Military Training ?By Karl M. Compton in “The National Legionnaire’1 (U.S.A.).Certainly nobody wants universal military training for its own sake. Nobody likes to paytaxes. Nobody likes government regulation. Nobody likes to pay premiums for life insurance or fire insurance. We endure these things as the price which we have to pay in order to live with security in an orderly society. They buy for Us u situation wnich is more favourable than that which we would have without them. In considering universal training, like these other things, we have to evaluate not the thing itself but the condition of life which it secures for us. und we have to consider, as an alternative, what our situation would be without taxes, regulations, insurance or universal military training. Our attitude on universal military training should be based on an objective analysis of what it will gain for us. how much it will cost, and what is the alternative if we do not adopt it. Let me outline very briefly some of the points which seem to me to be most significant in the answer to these questions.Our goal is security aguinst military aggression, for ourselves and for all nations. Our goal is a reign of law among nations based on justice, recognition of the right of each nation to handle its own internal affairs, and protection of our own nation, and every other nation, against attempts of any aggressor nation to impose its will by itemed force. This is the supreme objective of the United Nations. Our first duty is to do every thing within our power to help in the achievement of this ubjective to the fullest extent possible. If and when an international arrangement is agreed upon and put into effective operation to ensure world pence and security, then the problem of universal military training and all other military establishments beyond the degree necessary for co-operation in an international police force will have vanished.Unfortunately, this internation al reign of law, suitably implemented for enforcement, has not yet been achieved and from present prospects will not have been achieved in the near future. Until this has been accomplished, it is necessary for u to take precautionary measures to ensure our safety against the threats to our safety an(| t world peace which are all to« evident as a result of conflicting ideologies, aggressive national ambitions in certain quarters, and the general breakdown of civilisation which i the, aftermath of World War II Let, me be more specific.Deep-Laid PlansCaptured documents from Germany and Japan tell in no uncertain terms the story of deep-laid plans for national aggrandisement through tuclics of deception and aggression.These documents also show very clearly that the plans and actions of the Nazis, the Fascists land the Japane'.* military regime | were stimulated and made poisi-Ible by their realisation and eare-.jful analysis of the military weak ness of nhe democratic countries 'and of the pacifist and isolation-jist sentiment which had swept SO strongly over them. In the main, 1 am convinced that this pacifist sentiment wu well-intentioned and based or high ideal-*', hut we now kt nw forcertainty that it was unrealistic and was based on ignorance of the forces which were being arrayed against us. Many of the people and organisations who, between World War 1 and World War 11. opposed military training and al forms of military preparedness based their opposition on “moral and religious grounds, but to my mind, however high-minded may have been their motives, they are responsible for the greatest crime ia modern history, namely. World War 11, with the practical murder of millions and the ravaging of entire nations.This mistake must not be permitted to happen again. We should be intelligent, courageous and objective enough to have learned the lesson that, in the world as it exists at this moment there are those who would seek to profit by weakness if. like Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito, they felt that they could “get away with it.” Yet there are organisations right now which are passing resolutions in opposition to universal military training “on moral and religious grounds.” Let me be still more specific in the argument.Countries which are within the present close range of Soviet tactics, or which may be within range in the near future, will not feel able to stand up for their democratic .principles unless the democratic countries, who desire protection from international aggression, can stand to discour -age such aggression. Weakness is simply an invitation to the rulers of any nation with such aggressive aims. For such reasons, a strong military posture by the United States is, at the present time, a prerequisite to our own security and to the main tenurice of international co-operation in the interests of peace and freedom. Our strong military posture must be accompanied by generosity in our aid to nations who have been more unfortunate than ourselves in the recent war.I would conclude by quoting as follows from the report of the Commission on Universal Train inu to rno President: “We recommend the adoption of universal training because we are convinced that weakness on our part not only involves our country in grave risks but also weaken- the United Nations, on which rest our hopes for lasting peace. A weak and irresloute America is an in-1 vi tat inn to failure. A strong and resolute America is the best! guarantee fur our safety and for; the success of the United Nat-: ions. Do we have the vision, and courage to take thi- step?
Newspaper Details
Northam Advertiser
Northam, Western Australia, AU
Fri, Feb 04, 1949
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
James K.
AU 23 Aug 2021
Other Publications Near Northam, Western Australia
Northam Advertiser
Northam Courier
