New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-31
Mothers Tell Legislators
They Want Sons'Pre-
pared to Fight.
URGE ADOPTION
or WELSH BILL
Only Two Men Oppose Passage
OF Bill Before Ways and
Means Committee.
.r,.n s.,. carre..,naen. Q, n. Iaean,.I

Albany. March 3O.-Women proved
the most ardent advocates OF the Welsh
bin 10 require military training Tor
BOYS. At the hearing this afternoon
before the Assembly Ways and Means
Committee. Nearly fifty Of them were
among supporters Of the measure who
included educators. military men ana
CONSERVATIVES of civic organizations.
Only two persons spoke against i
Assemblvman Shiplocof. representing
tho Socialist party. and r. II. Wood, OF
Mount Kisco, for the Society Of Frends'
= II is almost certain that the Welsh
bill will be acted on fayorably by me
committee. which went on record to-day
for better military preparedness by re-
nortiug the Kincaid bill, which appro-
priates 100000 for mobilization OF the
national guard next summer.
Many of the women who spoke for
the measure had sons, and declared
that they would more willingly give
them TO the service Of their country u
they knew that they were to be part
Of a thoroughly equipped and prepared
fighting force.
Opponents OF this measure talH
about not valuing human life SAID
Mrs. A. J. George. of the National Sc
curitv League. I'VE mothers know bet
tor than any one else the sacreduess
of human life We feel that " la so
precious that we must ask prone
eouipment and training for our sons
so that if they must stand up IN me
drst line Of defence they VIII no.
needlessly be sacrificed before mors
seasoned troops
Want All Boys Trained.
The Welsh hill originally prov ded
Tor military training for pupils ~ the
secondary schools Of the state, between
,ixteen and nineteen years old. unaeF
the direction Of commission COM
rosed Of the Governor, major gential
and q member OF the Board Of Regents.
IN. John H. Finley, state Commissioners
cf Education. AZ first opposed the blll.
liz hold that all boys should be subject
to military trimming An amcndm'n,
was agreed 10 providing that the com.
mission should selec. what boys should
D., subject % the Drov!s ons OF the hll.
DR. Finley then spoke IN favor OF IN
measure.
81 am ready 20 conscript everybody
for some service 90 the state said
DR.. Finley. "but J do not want the
purely military end OF such service put
OF on our boys
MAJOR General John T. Organ be-
loved that even If this country never
became involved iu war, military train
inc among boys would result in lasting
rood.
MANY letters have come from par,
Drts favoriug this bill said General
ORvan. THEY show that there ia
widespread impression that boys are
row not so wei hammered as IN pre-
cccding generations. The boy. in fac;
is now regarded as the king Of the
rocst. must say that national gard
officers who deal q great deal with the
product Of the schools are inclined 10
support this view. The BOYS do not
come 20 us well disciplined, nor do
they have q well grounded respect for
law and order or the rights of others.
BEFORE we can do anything in the way
of making them soldiers we must spend
much time in disciplininc them, IN
teaching them square dealing, courtesy,
Sclf-control and respect for their SUI
poriors"
Would Make Better Men.
General Organ believed that mill
tsry training H. the schools would make
men more courageous. both physically
and morally, give them better knowl-
edge Of the country history. and i'm
prove their standards Of honor and
square dealing.
General George ". Wingatc. head o.
the Public Schools Athletic League Of
New York believed that greater re-
Srcct for the word "obey" would result
from military training among boys
"The curse OF this country to-day is
disobedicnce.' said General Wingate.
/ at was disobcdience OF orders that
caused the Twentieth Century wreck
and which is the cause Of uire-teIr-.
OF the fires and accidents"
Others who spoke for the bill we're
Professor Henry p. Warren. Of tho A.
hany BOYS Academy: ex-senator J..
Mayhem Wainwright. Of Weztchester;
Lieutenant Stecvers. Of the War Col
lcge ~ Washington: and Dr. C. Ward
Champion. director OF physical training.
hygiene and athletics OF the New York
schools.