This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1920. Excerpt: ... PART III UNIVERSAL TRAINING AND NATIONAL DEFENSE The Need of Preparedness IN the preceding pages we have endeavored to point out the advantages of and the necessity for universal training from a civil point of view, as affecting the daily life of the nation and the character of our citizenship. The pages which follow bear upon the vital relation of universal training to national defense and national independence. The authors express the hope that their arguments, which are based upon the lessons of history and human and international relations, may help to dispel some of the misunderstandings of a project so vitally important to the welfare and security of America as to be entitled to the hearty support of all patriotic citizens. Every attempt on the part of the United States to establish a more effective policy of national defense and provide for greater national security, has been met by violent opposition on the part of certain classes of our people. It is an opposition based upon a misunderstanding of the lessons of experience and upon a fancied sense of national security due to a geographical isolation which has ceased to be a political, industrial, or military isolation. We are the most paeifistic nation on earth except China. But China's pacifists are passive, whereas ours have been aggressive to a marked degree. In the late war they made strong efforts to block the passage of the selective service act, or draft law, whose failure would have meant victory for Germany and the downfall of civilization in Europe. And some even went so far as to obstruct the operation of the law after its passage. Much of this pacifist outcry and activity was, of course, German propaganda. But much of it represented the honest opinion of earnest, but misguided, America...