◆ SpookStack

Peacetime conscription, v nether for : teen. Do we want to .ujcct into our civil educational. military or labor purpo:es,'is the system, witl its decentralized local self-determinatior, this military camel's nose of a regimented ycar of itler way of solving uncr.iployment. goosestepping education directed from Washington? Oininously cnough, this was the road leading Let us le careful lest we sell our democratic educa-. aight inlo war by which we wiped out unemploy. tional birthright for a mess of military pottage. ent in the United States, after we had found no her way to do it. And now Ceneral Hershcy, Direc- r of Sclective Service, in speaking about demobiliza grant the State the overlordship of in and unemployment, derlares: "We can keep personal conscience. ople in the army about as chcapiy as we could cate an agency for them when thcy are out.". Thc present draft Iaw as interpreted and adinin- If the United States cannot solve Jer unemploy- istered by the national authorities has resulted in the ent problem by a better means than military dole, inpositionof prison scntences running from six months I we cannol go after the root causes of unemploy.. to five years for more than 4,000 conscientious objec. ent and at once begin to make provi-ion for volun- tors, according to figurcs given out by the Department ry employincnt in peaceful work of national and of Justice covering thc period from Oetober 16, 1910 ternaiional scrvice, then it will ayjear that our to July I, l944. That this h- untry has nothing beiter to offer mankind than a law which cxplicitly provided for non-combatant al- oadening and streamlining of Europe's conscript ternative service for any person "whc by reasou of ad to ruin. religious training and belief is conscientiously op. posed to participation in war in any form' shows how impossible it is to reconcile the demands of R Universa! military training is the military systems with the varied and imperative urg- wrong education for pegce, nationa! ings of conscience. In 1937 the Oxford Conference, ealth, the prevention of crime, the which was more representative of Irotestant Chris- trengthening of demoeracy, and selr- tendem than any conference since the Reformation, declared that the Church "should be opposed to an iscipline. education which teachcs men to subordinate them. Years ago II. G. Wells poinicd out thiat the fate of selves to any human force as the final authorityJe vilization Iung on a racc between cdacation and it the will of the majority, or of a leader, or of an Hiastroplhc. Ie did not mean military education. absolute State. That is to violate the sanctity of con. hat is allied with catastrophe. science, which mnust be kept responsible to God We do need better uational health, a wiser use of alone." isure, more effeetive ways of coping with crime, Amcriea should be the last country on earth to :ore constructive ways of public discussion, more violate that principle. Conscription for military Iult education and, undergirding all, a self-disci-. training is a test case.. tine of the individual eitizen resulting in self-dediea. Advoeates of conscription acknowledge thot on to thc good of our country and all mnkind. Bu! mnless it is adopted soon, it will be defeated. Ie ris tremendous task cannot be accompli-hed by com- should refuse to be stampeded by wartine enso-. ulsory training in the ways of violence. It could not tions into accepting a poliey of permanent peace- e done in one year by any method; we must begin time conscription-u policy that cannot be justi- Jeh a program long before our youihs rench seven. fied by any process of cool reasoning. Vrite to your Senators and Reprcsontatives now, urging them to oppose peacetime conscripiiar For further information, ac'dsrionu! copies of this Ayer, or suggestions for actien, writo. DGOONCIIATIO: 7979 Dr00 irar + hush s....i1oo: C+.ns At.Itlt Crre st. 403 t+ttity Woyaiel tire$t.. He,?t.Fer. Yuk ?s....t.Chlcoy +. .Rosh.ii.. 4. bnn. D.nvir, Ceio. 3+.. ... Wash.. berk.hyy I, Cani. Le. A agei.. 2i,