Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-22
Chief of Staff Is Subjected to
Severe CroSS-examinatiOn
by Committee of Lower
House Members,
CONGRESSMAN TILS0N
COLONEL IN GUARD
Experience on Border Teaches
Militia officer That Present
rehabilitation Plan Must
Always FAIL


Washington Dec. 21-A definite
.i,, for universal military training
win be laid before congress neNl
month in the shape of bill tormu-
r,tod nv the general staff Of the army
,,eomuanied by complete estimates OF
,oet as compared with the volunteer
system. Mai. Gen. Hugh L. scott
,biof of staff. told the house military
committee today that the work was In
urogress and would require about a
month to complete. Chairman DENT
said the committee would be glad TO
see the bill. ,.
In response to a laughing ques'loI'
as to who would introduce it in the
house, Representative Kahn Of Cali
fornia, said:
81 would be glad to have the hon
or to introduce it,
Scott CrosS-eXamIncd.
General Scott was subjected to
sharp cross-examination today on his
reiterated expression in favor OF uni
yersal service based in part on the
volunteer system as shown in the mo-
MI tzation of the national guard for
border service Five of the twenty-five
members Of the committee took oc-
cqsion to state their belief in the the
ory Of universal service, while two
emphatically declared against such
a system Those favoring were Rep
resentatives Kahn, Greene Of YER
mont and Tilson of Connecticut, re.
publicans, and Omey of Massachu-
setts and Farley Of New York, demo-
Gratis; while those opposed We're Rep
resei,tatiye Mcllellar of Tennessee and
Ropresentative Quinn of Mississippi
democrats.
The statement of Representative
Tilson. who went 10 the border as a
colonel in the national guard, followed
General Scott's repeated assertion
that the liberalization of the national
guard accomplished as far as possible
~ the national defense act would not
meet the country's military needs.
Tilson States Views.
MANY members, majority Of the
national guardsmen who come back
from the border, are in favor Of uni
versal service declared the chief of
staff.
''T agree with you" said Represent
ative Tlson, that voluntary military
service is not an adequate system anc
probably would break down in time
of war as it has. done before The
national guard system in particular
is economically unwise because of the
dual control over the forces by the
federal government and the state"
Taking up the report on the mobil-
ization of the guard which General
Scott presented to support his ar
raignment Of any volunteer system,
Representative Tfson continued
But do you think it is quite fair
to the national guard
an what respect" asked General
Scott
Don't YOU think, General that in
view Of the enormously greater task
of the regular service as the agent
which conducted the mobilization, the
regular army fell down harder in
proportion than the n9tional guard?'
Admits Criticism Is Due.
"We make many criticisms of our
selves General Scott said, adding
that a report on the army's share in
the mobilization already had been
asked for and would be presented.
THAT is what ] want to appear in
this record, said Mr. Tilson, because
! want to show that no set Of officers,
no matter how well trained. could
make this national guard system
work"