Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-03
PROPOSES REORGANIZATION OF
REGULAR ARMY WITH MILF
TIA AS AUXILIARY.
FEDERAL PAY FOR
NATIONAL GuARDsMEN
Believes Plan Would Double Member
ship In Militia and Promote Eff
cienoy-Shortsr iEnIistmsnts With
Adsqusss Training Suggested as Plan
For Preparing Young Men For War.
Especial Correspondence

ISpeclal correspondence
Washington, Feb. INSTRUMENTATION
Of the regular army on new lines plus
federal pay for the national guard are
the steps for the solution Of the mill
tary problem of the United States
which Representative Towner, Of
Iowa, believes should be seriously con-
sidered. He believes that such action
would adequately meet present needs,
would be preferable to the continental
army plan and to various other plans
suggested. He does not feel the coun-
try wants to take up with construction
and that the basic idea Of a success
full military policy must rest on re-
moving the man who Is given mill
tary training as brief period as
feasible from civil pursuits.
That federal pay for the militia
under wise system would double the
national guard and greatly strengthen
it Is the opinion OF Representative
Towner. AS to the regular army, he
feels the term OF enlistment could
well be shortened to q. year, with pro-
vision for three years in the reserve.
He is giving careful study to plan
for. reorganization of the regular army
along this line. The present system OF
a three-year term Of enlistment and
four years in the reserve, as is we'll
known, does not work.
1t is at once highly expensive, it pro-
duces no reserve, and it trains COM
paritively few men to arms.
Longer Training Unnecessary.
One Of the questions to which Judge
Towner has been giving study is how
long it is necessary to train a young
man to make good soldier. On this,
there are many differences of opinion.
But some Of the ablest officers Of the
regular army are convinced two years
is ample time. General Leonard Wood
has long been Of this opinion and has
advocated the short term enlistment.
However, there is also little or no
doubt, in the opinion of many COM
petent officers, that a years effective
training, under first-class administers,
will make a good soldier out OF any
ordinarily intelligent young man who
Is willing to volunteer for service.
The American youth, it may be said IN
this connection, as rule picks up
soldering quickly.
Undoubtedly, it is true, as various
military systems show. thatS few
months training will do wonders for
a young man who wants military in
struction. But Judge Towner has con-
cluded that a years time In the regu-
lar army would be ample time for
training and at the same time not too
long to discourage a large number OF
enlistments. He takes the view that
many more men would enlist than do
enlist now If young man desiring
training could know he would be kept
from civil life for only year, that
he would then go into the reserve fol
only short period. such as three
years, and that service in the army
would almost not at all interfere with
his plans for a career, for marriage,
for professional training or whatever
he might have in view.
Lessons From Germany.
It Is pointed out that the very es-
sence Of the German plan, which has
built UP one Of the greatest military
forces the world has ever seen, is not
long service but two years of train
ing for infantry, then return to civil
life. The standing army is utilized as
a great school thru which is pouring
constant vast number Of recruits.
connection with reorganization of the
regular army, as Judge Towner sees
1t, is that the professional soldier is
not to be encouraged. On the other
hand, provision will have to be made
to allow young men who have ex-
ceptional qualifications for non-com-
missioned officers to remain longer
than O year and to re-enlist. That
ne
missioned OFFICERS is the backbone Of
any army il fundamental. Ample pro-
vision for training Of officers must be
made on scale much greater than
now. II young man desires to re-
main in the army longer than year
and is not q non commissioned officer.
one OF the possible plans is to allow
him to enter some other arm Of the
service Thus. after a year in the in
fantry, he might serve an enlistment
period in the cavalry, the field artil-
lery, the coast artillery, the engineers
or the signal corps. However, re-
enlistment except as to promising and
apt men ana men Of exceptional capa"
city for non commissioned command or
for officers would not be encouraged.
~ While Judge Towner has not vet
nut his ideas into the form Of bill,
it Is probable he will do so later.
Around the question Of the short
term enlistment, there Is certain to
center much discussion this session.
American military attaches abroad
have been studying this. It is known
that they have found that ten months
training have worked wonders with
the English volunteers. This is not
oo wing ~ course that training for an
even less period under competent drill
masters will not also achieve surpris-
ing results.
Cut This out--lt 10 Worth Money.
I ~ rS,Yt In ~ IN,