The Washington times., 1916-02-03
Iowa Congressman Also Favors
Federal Pay for the National
Guard.
WOULD REoRGANIzE ARMY
Thinks Length Of Service With
Regulars Should Be Shorten
ed to a Year.

REORGANIZATION of the regular army
~, nau, tines Mus Federal pay for the
national guard are the steps TOT ',ie
solution of the military problem Oh ,he
r-n,ted States which Congressman Tow
YER of Iowa believes should De SER
inusly considered.
uo is of the opinion that such action
would adequately meet present heeos,
,,.o,,Ia no nreferoble to the continentai
.,,,. ond To various other plans sug-
Gnsted
Federal nay for the militia, nnder
,,,,.o svstem would double the national
I'd and greatly strengthen II, JuiGe
Towner believes. As to the resu'a.
,rnv. he feels the term OF ehhstihen'
,,or,d uaIl he shortened to year, WIN
,rovision for three years in the reserve
Vie Is studying a plan for the reorean-
.z.,,cn of the regular army along 'hiS
Inc.
Relieves Year Is Ample.
,,aaa Towner has also been STUDY
ire ,he question as to how long 1t ls
,ncessarv TO train a man to make MN
, GOOD soldier. Some of the apieS' Vi
,i.or. NJ the regular army are con-
.i,c.d two wears is ample time. Zen.
oon.rd Wood has long been or this
.,,,,,,or and has advocated the snort
.,r,,, enlistment, However. there is also
little or no doubt. in tho OPINION VI
,o.ry competent officers. that year.
,fsect,ve training, under first-class dri'-
o..ors will make a good soldier out
~ anv ordinarily intelligent young man
,,,ho 4. willing to volunteer for service.
tho American youth. 1t may be said
IT, thI. connection as rule PICKS up
eoldiering quickly. iii, 40 n,on-
ders for young man VINO wants ma, ;,n.
,arv instruction. Judge Towner ias @
'S,,dad that a years time in The
ocular army would be ample lot uai,
inS and at the same time not 100 io,s
10 discourage a large numoeh rum. thot :" MANY
listments. He takes the view that MAJ
',iore men would enlist if young mIL,
,n.,r,nr training could know he wou'o
va Eent from civil life for only yeai
that he would then go into the res, st,,e
rnr only a short period. such as ,' .nIov
~, 49, o"! !.nd thnt service in the army
wo,Ild not seriously interfere Wltn' M xIs
1--we For n career, for marriage, or 'o'
professional training.
More Officers Needed.
y "a said that the very essence oi
tho German plan, which has bullt ul
,ne Of the greatest military FORCES t"e
ward has ever seen. is not long service
. ,,,t two wears OF training for infantry
,hen return to civil life. The stanuihs
rrmy Is utilized as great sSnoo
through which is pouring 'ohS'a''
number of recruits. ,,.s l.,
Among the ideas to he consldersu ~
ronneCtion with reorganization or tns
regular army, as Judge ToWneF sees ~
j. that the professional So!dlei is no
% be encouraged. Provision VIII nav.
ia no made he believes. to ahCW "ouht
men who have exceptional quaiincatoi'S
for non-commissioned officers 70 retnait
,onger than a year and to rC-el:llSl' AN
,Ie nroyiSion for training or o!nCerS' ~
reels must be made on "A scale muC'
rreater than now. If young man ue
9ires 70 remain in the army longer tnai
, year and Is not a non-com'nlsSlohc'
,fficer, a possible plan IS 70 n'Iow mn
70 enter some other arm or the service
Thus after a year in the 'ntantry, ~
might serve an enlistment Derlod III th'
cavalry. the field artillery, the coas
,rtilIery the engineers. or the SlSha
rorns. However, rc-enlistment eXcep
,s TO men of capacity for non-conmhS
stoned command or for ofhcers, "oul'
not he encouraged. !,
While Judge Towner has not put nj
IDEAS into the form Of bill, 1t Is prop
,hln he will do so later Around u!
,,uestIon Of the shOrt-term enilstm2h
here Is certain to center much 'tscus
Ion American military attaChes abroa
ave heen studying 1t. IT Is known the
lave found that ten months ualnii
las worked wonders with the Enshs
volunteers.