Evening star., 1915-12-27
ASKS UNIVERSAL SERVICE
TO BUILD RESERVE ARMY
Army League Urges Upon Congress
That Young Men Be Given
Military Training.

The Army League is urging upon
Congress that universal military train
ing of the young men of the country
eighteen to twenty-one years of age
is the only solution of the question as
to raising a force of citizen soldiers
other than the organized militia
Gen. Robert Shaw Oliver. former as
sistant secretary of War, president of
= the executive council of the Army
League. today gave out the following
statement in explanation of the posi-
ton of the league:
The Army League of the United
States has decided that universal mill
tary training of men from eighteen to
twenty-one years old is the only true
solution of the question as to the
method of raising a force of citizen
soldiers other than the organized
militia. The executive council has
passed a resolution embodying this
policy and recommending general
plan which avoids the demand for
large standing army and disposes of
the bugaboo of militariSm in a mod
crate and reasonable increase of the
regular army. The plan is generally
conservative and in line with the va
rious recommendations both of the
Secretary of War and the general
staff. The method of obtaining the
necessary men for the citizen army
constitutes the principal dinerence,
and this question is believed to be
fundamental.
"A careful study of expert opinion
would appear to require for the de-
tense of our overseas possessions
regular army of at least $4,000 men.
Such a force when divided between the
Panama Canal Zone. Alaska. the Philip
pines. Hawaiian Islands. Porto Rico
and other navy bases, could hardly be
considered excessive even by the ex-
treme little army men,
Plan for Increasing Force.
"The regular army at home would
consist of the coast artillery of one re-
lief, and the mobile force G.e. cavalry,
artillery. infantry and special troops)
skeletonized to train the citizen SOL
diers and. for that purpose. distributed
in number of division districts. Every
branch of the mobile army constituting
a division would be included in each of
these units. About 700 regulars would
be included in each district. A complete
division would be built up in three
years by enlisting each year about 1000
young men eighteen years old in each
district Twenty five divisional districts
would then supply force of 100000.
For the last three years of the six
year enlistment these troops would
pass into the reserve. subject to call
by the President, and then be given
fun discharge. Thus there would be
always 100000 of the reserve This
would mean the training and cost of
$4,000 men each year with the colors
and in the schools. These men should
receive army pay for that number of
men the first year. two weeks the sec
ond and third years. or thirteen months
IN all The plan of the Secretary of
War calls for pay two months a year
Tor three years, or six months in all;
therefore the cost of the proposed
scheme will be a little more than
double that of the Secretary.
1t is hoped that a sufficient number
would volunteer for active service;
but failing that, the quota required
would be filled from the enrolled list
In each district.
The organized militia would not be
fnterfered with in any way. On the
contrary, as it is proposed to exempt
men in that service, young men would
practically have a choice of service in
that body or the proposed continental
army.