Page:Harris Dickson--The unpopular history of the United States.djvu/174

The Unpopular History of the United States the same simple weapons and requiring no discipline or tactics. Through the evolutionary processes of time, special weapons were devised by men for use against men. As these implements became more and more elaborate, they necessitated a greater and greater education in their use. War has now evolved into a science, most complex, many-sided, and embracing practically all the other sciences. As instruments of warfare become more and more intricate, volunteer forces become less and less efficient.

In this complicated and highly specialized modern warfare, it requires a regular army of seasoned and disciplined troops to defend our country. In the tribal ages there were no standing armies and no peace; every male was a soldier, to be called upon at any moment, waiting with weapons ready. The entire nation stood always in martial array. When gunpowder was invented, war was becoming a profession, and men must be especially educated for it. A small fraction of the male population was then set aside for [156]