Americus Times Recorder

WAR FITS MEN FOR PEACE.

A community of training for national service resulting in better men, the erasure of class distinction and increased love of country, was the description Gen. Leonard Wood gave universal military training in a speech last week at a luncheon given him in Kansas City, where he stopped, en route from Camp Funston to Chicago, to take command of the Central department of the army.

In urging the adoption of universal training, Gen. Wood pointed out the history of the world war, into which the United States entered without any preparedness, gave the lie to the fakirs who had said America could have a million men under arms over night.

"Not that we should think particularly of war," continued General Wood. "No one likes war, the soldier least of all. Universal training does not mean war. Rather it means the young men of the nation are put in position for effective work in industry and agriculture as well as in military pursuits.

"To the critics who insist universal military training would Prussianize the nation, let me say here it was not the military training of Germany that taught the Germans such brutality and acts of atrocity, but their philosophy and teachings. Switzerland and France trained for the military a greater population than Germany."

To the criticism universal training would keep vast numbers of men in uniform, General Wood answered those advocating the plan did not desire to form a large standing army, or to keep a great body in uniform, but to make ready for that uniform when "America may be forced to call."

Every thinking person who is truthful with his country and with himself knows that General Wood spoke the truth. The time is coming before long when the courage of our convictions will be put to the test. The question of universal military training or no universal military training for America is coming and will have to be answered. There is only one right answer. The war just closed proved that.