Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1915)
r tmnurm-iiSfMnmifru ""ftnwsjflpswf fip w OCTOBER, 1915 The Commoner Military Training in Schools One of the most immediate effects of tho great war in Europe has been to stimulate among the American militarists tho determination to se cure military training among all the school boys of our country, with a view ultimately to develop a great army after tho European pattern, says the Advocate of Peace. At a meeting of tho department ol superintendence of the National Ed ucation association, held in Cincin nati, February 24, 1915, the war de partment proposed the appointment of a committee of conference, in or der to secure the introduction in the public schools of military drill as a direct preparation for the event of war. Tho educators, however, immedi ately scented danger. Tho superin tendent of public instruction in the state of Pennsylvania, Dr. Nathan C. Schaeffer, made a significant speech of protest, and succeeded in counter acting the proposals of the war de partment. Practically the entire au dience of superintendents rose and vigorously applauded, giving Dr. Schaeffer a- genuine ovation. Tho military men, though much disturbed by the attitude of these leading educators, are not discour aged, and are following up their pro posals by the usual appeals to patri otism to rally their forces. It is a situation fraught with grave danger to the nation. The friends of peace ought at once, all of them, to bestir themselves, for unless strenuous ef forts are made to prevent militarism from invading our schools, it is cer tain not to be long before we shall see it an accomplished fact. Some of Dr. Schaeffer's remarks deserve careful consideration: "It is a widespread notion that military drill benefits a boy's phy sique and that it is an essential part of physical education. If this be so, why are the girls excluded from mil itary drill? Tho war brides need as much bodily health and vigor as the soldiers who marry them, if future FEED CHILDREN On Properly Selected Food. It Pays Big Dividends generations are not to show signs of decadence. Military drill for girls would bo the logical conclusion if military drill were essential to the development of a healthy body and a sound mind. Investigations have shown the contrary to bo true, and in these days nothing in educational practice is considered conclusive un less based upon scientific experi ments. Dr. Schaeffer then quoted various authorities to show the defectiveness of military drill as a means of phy sical culture. From tho considera tion of physical grounds he proceed ed to the moral aspect of the ques tion: "Military drill seeks to develop un questioning obedience, . . but it does not develop obedience to con science,' to a sense of right, and to the divine imperative of duty. . . Having been taught by militarism that it is permissible to suspend the Decalogue for his country's sake, he (tho pupil) is in danger afterwards of repealing th Ten Commandments lor his own sake whenever any ad vantage can thereby be gained in the political or financial world." Continuing, Dr. Schaeffer asked' the question, Will preparedness for war prevent war? "The present Eu ropean war is the answer to that question. . . There might have been no war if there had been no military class anxious to try the in ventions and preparations which had been made during four decades." In conclusion, he pleaded for the teach ing of history from the peace point of view, and, after referring to the Civil war, exclaimed: "If wo would avoid plunging the land of the Stars and Stripes into another hell, let ua keep military drill out of the public schools." San Francisco Star. 1fl i If parents will give just a little In telligent thought to the feeding of their children the difference in the health of the little folks will pay, many times over, for the small trou ble. A mother writes: "Our children are all so much better and stronger than they ever were before we made a change in the character of the food. "We have quit using potatoes three times a day with coffee and so much meat. "Now we give the little folks some fruit, either fresh, stewed, or canned, some soft-boiled eggs, and some Postum for breakfast and supper. Then for dinner they have some meat j and vegetables. "It would be hard to fully describe the change in the children, they have grown so sturdy and strong, and we attribute this change to the food ele ments that, I understand, exist in Grape-Nuts and Postum. "A short time ago my baby was teething and had a great deal of stomach and bowel trouble. Nothing seemed to agree with him until I tried Grape-Nuts softened and mixed with rich milk and he improved rap idlv and got sturdy and well." "There's a Reason." Name given by'Pqstum Co., Battle Creek, M'ch. Ever read the above letter? A new one appears from time to time. They are genuine, true, and full of human interest. INDIAN BO TELLS WHO WINS IN WHISKEY TRADE The United States Indian service has just completed a gold-silver-bronze medal contest for essays on the subject "Alcohol and My Future." The territory of the United States Is divided into supervisors' districts. The best essay In each grade for a supervisors' district wins a silver medal. For the best essay from each grade in each school in the United States a bronze medal is given, and for the best essay furnished from each grade in the entire United States a gold medal will be given. The grading of papers for the supervis or's district of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, excepting schools like Phoenix, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, which form a class of their own, was assigned to Superintendent Perry of the local Indian school. His work in this contest has just been finished and tho papers forwarded to Wasn ington for final action. Among the many unique state ments found in these papers by Su perintendent Perry was one furnished by an Indian boy in the Leupp school, Arizona, which Is as ioiiows: "The distillery gets four gallons of whiskey from one bushel of corn, and the whiskey retails for $16.80. The amount Is apportioned as fol lows: The farmer for corn gets $ AS The government, for taxes, zgb 4.40 The railroad, for hauling, gets. .80 The manufacturer gets 4.00 The drayman gets J The saloonkeeper gets ?.oo The man who purchases the whiskey gets .drunk His wife gets JL His children get........ rass The man who votes for the sa loon gets ;; i -Albuquerque (N. M.) Journal. ESTEY PIANOS For more than 69 years the name ESTEY has stood for merit in the manufacture of musical instruments. An ESTEY in your home is a testimonial to your good judgment. ESTEY PIANO CO. Executive Office and Salesrooms 23 West 42nd Sired - New York City THE DELUDED PEOPLES The fact that the people of neither Germany, France, England, Russia, Belgium, Austria, nor Serbia, had any voico as to the beginning or prosecution of this monstrous war, is something to think about. The people of the various nations at war are furnishing the fighters and doing the fighting; they are dying by hundreds of thousands; they are pay ing tho eighty-five million dollars a day which is the present cost of the war. For a hundred years to come, the people tho farmers, the artisans, the clerks, the shopkeepers, and their wives and children and descendants will be paying for this war. They didn't want the war. They were never consulted about it at all. From the beginning it has been the people, tho common, every-day, peace- lovine. home-keeping people that have perished and paid. Their blood and treasure havo been wasted and wantoned over a hundred European battlefields. Their widows and or phans havo been starved, terrified and persecuted. Their cities have been razed, their churches dese crated, their marts dismantled and their farms turned Into graveyards. And they don't know what it is all about. Who wished this war on the good people of the twelve nations now engaged In it? What power, what interest, what conceit, what arro gance, what miscarriage of govern ment can it be which, at this day and stage of so-called Christian civiliza tion, can plunge so many millions of rational people into so barbaric and futilo a carnage. No writer or statesman has yfc given even a partial explanation of the cause and origin of this war. All we know Is that the people of th countries at war did not and do not want war. Tho Minneapolis Journal. NOT RICH "Every time Dubson opens hi mouth he gives himself away." "Even at that, he's no philanthro pist." Birmingham Age Herald. Rheumatism A Home Cure Given by 0n Who Had It In the sprinc of IK) J I wu attacked hy Muscular and Inflammatory Rheumatism. I suffered as only thoni who havo It know, for over three years. I tried remedy after remedy, and doctor after doctor, but such relief as I received wan only temporary. Finally. I found a remedy that cured at completely and it has never returned. J have clven it to a number who were terribly afflicted and even bedridden with Rheusaa tlsm, and It effected a cure In every case. I want every sufferer from any form et rheumatic trouble to try this marvelous htal lntr power. Don't send a cent; simply mall your name and addres and I will send It free to try. After you have nsed It and It Lai proven lttclf to bo that lone-looked-for mean of curing your rheumatism, you may send the price of It. one dollar, but. jusdef rtand. I do not want your money tuileat you ere perfectly satl2ed tosnd It- Isn't that fair? Why suffer any lser wnea positive relief Is thus offered yoa fre? Dca't datoy. Wrlta today. Karl: IX. Jackson. 2To. 1KB, Gursey SM&, Dyracuae. n. r M W m Wi. ' &vsf
