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Pacifist InsincerityThe American Union Against Militarism Is a Lot of Bunk. — Their Demand For a Referendum Is Silly.— Universal Service Is Demanded In Time of Peace and Should Be Used In War—The Only Difference Is, Will We Be Prepared or Not When the Time Comes ?Whether conscious!} lt;»r unconsciously, sortie of 1 lie* pacifists arc practising in their propaganda a most regrettable insincerity; particular!} unbecoming t** those who appeal to the conscience of the nation on high moral grounds.Herbert Ihgelow. Daniel Kiefer, and others, who arc being supported by ‘‘a fund,” have consistently abused every man or woman in Cincinnati who possessed more than 'ix-bits; their unification of I has. 1*. Taft, \Y. YY. Freeman, the Cnion Has and Electric Company and others, was alright, as those whom they selected for abuse paid no attention to their attacks, but when they are hacked up by such people as Judge \lfrcd Yippert, Howard Wurlitzer and others in the American Union against Militarism. organization which gives aid and com fort to the enemies of this great nation it is time that some action he taken in the matter.They have printed advertisements in the two morning papers, shrewdly prepared. asking people to sign a petition for a referendum against warThe same propagandise further suggest that the new law which makrs compulsory the military training of hovs from nineteen twenty-one .wars of agi in the schools during school hour- : the implication being that thus there is discrimination in favor of or against— high school boys, and that there is also a serious infringement upon tlie time for study and recitation. The facts arc that it provides for the training of all hoys, in grammar a*- well as in high schools, and that it specifies that this training shall he given to them outside of school hours.Misleading, too. i the common pretence that universal service is a new and un-American device. The fact i* that it is older than this republic, and is one of the oldest of our Ymerican principles Hu carlv colonists brought hither withthem the old Kngli«h law. which empowered the sheriff or other peace officer to , impress any and all men into service to lt;I tic II disturbances, and that principle has been embodied in the statute law of most if not of all of the States. Similarly the principle was adopted and was explicitly stated in some ot our earliest laws that all able-bodied men were to be regarded as members of the militia, and were to he required to undergo training and to render military service whenever needed The abandonment of that principle, so far as it has been 1 abandoned, is a new departure of recent years.To this we might not unreasonably add, as another foolish example of deceptive propaganda, the clamor against compulsory universal service of any kind as undemocratic. The fact is that democracy is largely founded upon the principle of compulsory universal and equal service. The paving of taxes is a compulsory universal service There is a similar requirement for jury duty.Sumc of tin* same persons who now inveigh against obligatory military service have been advocating compulsory voting. Of course there is universal compulsory education The question thus rcsplvcs itself into whether there shall not be compulsory service in tint*, ot war as well as in time of peace, and. it so, whether there shall not he preparation for it in military training, jnst as there is now, in compulsory schooling, preparation tor the civic duties of peace.If our anti-prcparcdness friends have anything to say on those questions, pertinently and without evasion, it will he interesting to hear it. and their arguments will command respect it not as-scnt. Hut they can command neither assent. nor respect if they ct ntide their propaganda to supprcssio veri and sttg-pestio falsi and to attempts to becloud the real issue.
Newspaper Details
The Labor Advocate
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Sat, Mar 03, 1917
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 02 Aug 2023
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