Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 190, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1918 — THE FULL PUNCH QUICK. [ARTICLE]

THE FULL PUNCH QUICK.

Gen. March, chief of staff, told the committee on military affairs of the .house of representatives that by June 30, 1919, the United States army would need all available men between the of 18 and 45. It is the hope—hope in the sense of a reasonable military prospect and rational expecctancy—to obtain victory by military decision over the German armies next year by the full use of 4he America nforce. I ' The nation can put its power in I-gradually, deferring use of this class of men or that class of men, and |wi- ngradually, prolonging the war and its waste and suffering. It can put its power in fully, as rapidly as it possibly can be developed, without : reservations, without deferring the I use of any available class, and win—j or ca nexpect to win—in the minimum time. What, then, is the reasonable, the humane, the saving, the even mandatory and imperative thing to do? Is it not to hit as soon as possible with the greatest power available? 'That is what Gen. March so rthe staff wants to do and he urges congress not to make a deferred class of the young men of 18 years. They will have to come in later. Why postpone the use of a body of men so needed? To postpone this use is merely to delay the application of America’s ful strength. To delay that application is to prolong the war. To prolong the war is to increase its suffering, its deaths, its waste. Secretary Baker is more than half convince dthat sentiment, or rather ( sentimentality, shodld not be permitted t ogovern in the military operations of the nation, but he is only 1 half convinced and he still tells conI gress that public opinion which may ( regard 18 as too tender an age must 1 be consulted.

He would have the young men of 18 registered and subject to call, but would defer the Use es this class until other classes had been exhausted. This, it plainly appears, is a sentimental evasion of a necessity which will later assert itself and the evasion will only make a costly delay. Nothing can be ganied by it and a great deal may be lost. It will retarc the full development of American military strength and, as Gen. March informs the congressmen, the postponement cannot be for long—just long enough to constitute a serious interference with military plans an< military hopes of success. The idea that 18 years is too tender an age for military service is refutet by the cherished traditions of our own great civil war. It is our boast that it k was “fought by boys.” It is refuted by the records of every nation at war*' except the United States. It is refuted by facts which any one can observe wh owill see the training of young men. They learn their duties more readily than men of older age, they have greater enthusiasm, better morale, more adaptability along with endurance and fortitude. There is a real sentiment of humanity which demands the use of every bit of available American power in the war as rapidly as possible. Half measures are costly measures. Half measures of power yield double measures of tragedy. We know the (Germans will be licked. The only question is when they will be licked. How long will it take to break his resistance and restore peace? That time is related to the efforts of the United States. This is the only nation which can produce the men in needed quantities. When it has produced them the war will come to the victorious end our national security demands. American military policy demands that the nation producce all available men as soon as possible and strike the blow which will end the war. — Chicago Tribune.