New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-19
Warns Senate u. 5.
Could Not Meet
Serious Invasion
GUARD A TRAGIC
FAILURE, HE SAYS
General Wood Outlines
Plan for Universal
Training
iron n. Trfsuns Bureau

Washington, Zee. 10 tragic
failure Of the system under which
the National Guard was sent TO the
border proves that the volunteer sys-
tenn must be abandoned and that
universal military training must
succeed il. Major General Hugh L.
Scott. chief Of staff, and Major Cen
eral Leonard Wood, commanding the
Eastern Department. told the Senate
subcommittee on Military Affairs
.o-day.
Proper military defence requires
5000 900 trained soldiers. one-half
available Immediately on the out
break Of war and the other within
ninety DAYS thereafter. in the delib-
crate Judgment Of the Army War
College. voiced by General Scott. 1t
Judgment based upon months of
study and investigation.
Anglo-Japanesc Peril seen
Aa army Of 100000 rien is just
triple last years recommendations
o.. :hc War College. The United
States cannot be defended with
fewer. according 10 the latest ideas,
because Great Britain and her great
dominion Oh our northern border
lave adopted universal military
trairing and Great Britain is allied
with the Empire Of Japan, which has
200 and q quartz, million trained
soldiers
s. comprehensive plan for training
-le Youth Of America training
which cannot be started too soon
ra. presented by General Wood. He
would enroll every year and jnten-
lively train for six months 100000
5ovs OF nineteen. These same boys
az the age Of twenty-one would be
mustered into reserve regiments and
have fifteen TO thirty days field ser
vice. after which their regiments
would constitute the first reserve for
the remainder Of that year. When
this system has been in operation
eight years, General Wood said, the
United States would have available
a trained reserve army of 100000.
No accurate estimate Of the cost OF
putting this plan into operation was
riven. But il would not be as large
a. opponents Of the system have pre-
dic,ed because the men would not be
paid beyond their equipment and sus-
tensnce.
Scott Shows Guards Failure
During the hearing before the Sen
ate committee, General Scott, In plain
words. citing page and chapter, de-
clsred the recent mobilization had
demonstrated the failure Of the Ma
tlonsl Guard pointed out how the
volunteer system always had failed the
United States, from the days Of the
Revolution down to date, and had
failed all other countries in the has
tori Of the world General Wood, re
spending 20 a question from Senstor
Wsdsworth, went into details as to the
reasons for the failure Of the militia
regiments Of the states and willingly
admitted that any other system with
voluntary service as its base equally
would have failed.
Presiden, Wilson, when asked earlier
in the day II he agreed with the opin-
ion that the National Guard system
had failed, said he had not made up
his mind; that the system bad not yet
had fair try-out, and that the same
people who condemned the guard sys-
TEN before II was started were now
loudest In their declarations that state
troops were useless ss FIRST line.
The Presidents attitude upon the
principle Of universal military train
Ing or service also was secured to-day.
a recent statement in navy magazine
that he IN effect did favor the system
vas called TO his attention. The state
ment appears 70 have been based upon
The Imagination of the writer. There
arc, according 70 White House infor-
nation. large number Of aged and
retired officers Of the army and navy
who express their opinion on things
shout which they know nothing.
Wilson Sees Difficulties
Replying 20 questions, the President
,aid that the idea Of universal training
was attractive. but intimated that the
difficulty lay in working out practical
plan. The Chamberlain plan, he
thought was not satisfactory. and his
sttitude was that nothing approaching
satisfactory scheme OF universal
training had been outlined. On a
former occasion President Wilson ex-
pressed his approval OF universal vol
untEry training"
Opposition 10 the views expressed by
The chief Of STAFF Of the army. General
Scott, and the commander Of the East
ern Department. General Wood, WAS eX-
pressed by Walter L. Fisher, Of Chi