The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

1972 THE MODERN VOLUNTEER ARMY 99his life to the country and that thegovernment may determine howthose two years shall be used. Justificationof this notion lies in theArmy's view of itself as a supersacredagency whose role in thesociety is far above all others.• The inward aspect is mainlythe idea of ownership - the Armyis owner and the soldier the temporaryproperty. This has fosteredthe notion of the interchangeabilityof the rank-and-file in thevarious occupations and the attitudethat a separate system ofjustice for the military man is aproper institution.At this moment the draft-armymentality may not appear to be acause for alarm. But posters havebeen put up throughout militaryinstallations announcing this orthat new program to help imple-ment the MVA, and the advertisingcampaigns continue in fullforce. 5 Sooner or later the Army,called upon to fulfill its "campaignpromises," will run aground on itsown rules. Now is the time forthose who set policy to evaluatein a sober manner the whole Armyphilosophy. If they succeed inbreaking through this stifling collectionof attitudes, they will notonly make their branch of the servicemore efficient and responsive,but will prove that coercion is notnecessary for the defense of thenation. If they fail, the proponentsof state omnipotence will gloatover another failure of the principleof voluntarism to achieve thedesired goal - in an area wherevoluntarism never had a chance. f)5 General Westmoreland has set July1, 1973, as the target date for an allvolunteerarmy.IDEAS ONLIBERTYDaniel WebsterA MILITARY FORCE CANNOT BE RAISED, in this manner, but by themeans of a military force. If administration has found that it cannot form an army without conscription, it will find, if it ventureon these experiments, that it can not enforce conscription withoutan army. The Government was not constituted for such purposes.Framed in the spirit of liberty, & in the love of peace, it has nopowers which render it able to enforce such laws. The attempt,if we rashly make it, will fail; & having already thrown awayour peace, we may thereby throwaway our Government.-From a speech in the House of Repres-entatives, December 19, 1814.