Benjamin Strong Jr. to Woodrow Wilson
Title
Benjamin Strong Jr. to Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Strong, Benjamin, 1872-1928
Identifier
WWP18548
Date
1917 March 3
Description
Benjamin Strong Jr. writes Woodrow Wilson to protest the volunteer system in the armed forces.
Source
Benjamin Strong Jr. Papers, New York Federal Reserve Bank
Language
English
Text
Denver, Colorado
Dear Mr. President:
I have just received the following telegram from my son:
"Regiment mobilized. May leave today. Destination uncertain."
He is twenty years old and a Sophomore at Princeton University. He joined the National Guard about a year ago of his own volition, and solely from a sense of duty. He is one of many thousands of boys who are doing the same thing, from the same motives. Having cheerfully allowed him to volunteer for the country’s service, I feel justified in expressing my protest against the undemocratic, unwise and dangerous system of volunteer military service, upon which our country must now depend unless our laws are changed.
Any system, or I should say lack of system, which encourages boys of his age to decide what kind of duty they shall perform in time of National peril is wrong. Consideration cannot be given under this system to special qualifications of the individual. Those whose training might make them of greater value elsewhere than in the army or the navy, are afforded no opportunity or encouragement to give their best service. The great mass of those who voluntarily enlist, possibly to go to the front and lose their lives in the ranks, are those who can least be spared and, generally speaking, I believe they are the ones whose enthusiasm for public service would enable them to qualify most promptly as efficient officers.
I am letting this boy leave college for military duty in the firm conviction that he will be doing a large share of the service which should be done by men who stay at home, who are glad to stay at home, who are glad to escape risk and hardship by taking advantage of his patriotism, and all because our Government does not see fit to require a fair and equal distribution of service of this kind among its citizens.
Should our country depend for its protection in time of war upon the gift of the lives of the best youth of the country any more than it should depend for its revenues in time of peace upon donations of money by those who are patriotic enough to give it?
Most respectfully I am writing to urge that it is time that Congress and the responsible officers of our Government undertook to remedy this matter. There are many fathers of boys who, like the writer, believe that their sons are likely to become the victims of a perilous weakness in our Country’s affairs, and who are looking to you, as I am, to urge Congress to exact a compulsory service law.
Respectfully yours,
Dear Mr. President:
I have just received the following telegram from my son:
"Regiment mobilized. May leave today. Destination uncertain."
He is twenty years old and a Sophomore at Princeton University. He joined the National Guard about a year ago of his own volition, and solely from a sense of duty. He is one of many thousands of boys who are doing the same thing, from the same motives. Having cheerfully allowed him to volunteer for the country’s service, I feel justified in expressing my protest against the undemocratic, unwise and dangerous system of volunteer military service, upon which our country must now depend unless our laws are changed.
Any system, or I should say lack of system, which encourages boys of his age to decide what kind of duty they shall perform in time of National peril is wrong. Consideration cannot be given under this system to special qualifications of the individual. Those whose training might make them of greater value elsewhere than in the army or the navy, are afforded no opportunity or encouragement to give their best service. The great mass of those who voluntarily enlist, possibly to go to the front and lose their lives in the ranks, are those who can least be spared and, generally speaking, I believe they are the ones whose enthusiasm for public service would enable them to qualify most promptly as efficient officers.
I am letting this boy leave college for military duty in the firm conviction that he will be doing a large share of the service which should be done by men who stay at home, who are glad to stay at home, who are glad to escape risk and hardship by taking advantage of his patriotism, and all because our Government does not see fit to require a fair and equal distribution of service of this kind among its citizens.
Should our country depend for its protection in time of war upon the gift of the lives of the best youth of the country any more than it should depend for its revenues in time of peace upon donations of money by those who are patriotic enough to give it?
Most respectfully I am writing to urge that it is time that Congress and the responsible officers of our Government undertook to remedy this matter. There are many fathers of boys who, like the writer, believe that their sons are likely to become the victims of a perilous weakness in our Country’s affairs, and who are looking to you, as I am, to urge Congress to exact a compulsory service law.
Respectfully yours,
Original Format
Letter
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Files
Collection
Citation
Strong, Benjamin, 1872-1928, “Benjamin Strong Jr. to Woodrow Wilson,” 1917 March 3, WWP18548, Benjamin Strong Jr. Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.