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
- naa, tines nIus Federal pay for the
national guard are the steps TOT tne
solution of the military problem OF the
rrnIted States, which Congressman tow
yer Of Iowa believes should be SER
iously considered.
IJe is Of the opinion that such action
would adequately meet present heeus,
.o,,id bo nreferable to the continental
ormv. and to various other plans sus-
gested.
Federal nav for the militia. under
,vise svstem. would double the national
e,,srd and greatly strengthen It, JuaRe
Towner believes. AS to the TeBula.
,rn,v ne feels the term of enlistment
couId we'll be shortened to year WIN
,rovis,on for three years in the reserve
Ne is studying-a plan for the reorgan-
zation of the regular army along tilis
line.
Relieves Year Is Ample.
Ivds. Towner has also been study
,rp the question as to how long II ID
necessary TO train a man to make hlin
-, -ooa Soldier. Some of the ablest or
T,cers Of the regular army are CON
..inced two years Is ample time. Gen
! roorard Wood has long been OF Snls
,nIrIop and has advocated the snort
.sr,,, enlistment. However. there Is also
I,ttIa or no doubt, in tho opinion OF
,,,ry conpetent officers. that year .
,,fSect,ve training, under flrst-class dril'-
.,,asters. will make a good soldier OUT
~ anv ordinarily intelligent young man
uho h. willing to volunteer for serVice
THO American youth, It may be salo
tn this connection, as a rule plcAS UP
soldering quickly. II, =. ,,o,-
A few months training VIII 90 M1,, MIi
dera for q young man who wants lnIIi- mn.
tarv instruction Judge Towner nab n
concluded that q years time IN me
regular army would be ample LOT u an. a,
ing. and at the same time not 700 lons .,s
to discourage a large number OF eI,
Iistroents He takes the view that many
more men would enlist II a young Lndaa MA
desiring training could know ne wow
he kept from civil life for only yea ,s,,c :
that he would then 60 into the reserNe
snr oniv a short period, such as three
Years and that service in the aIuiy
would not seriously interfere WIN Ks Hts
plans for q career. for marriage OF 'O'
professional training.
More Officers Needed.
u "a said that the very essence oi
,ho German plan, which has built ur
mo NJ the greatest military forces the
world has ever seen, is not long service
hut two years OF training Tor intantry
then return to civil life. The stanqlnl
army Is utilized as great schoo
through which, is pouring constant
Hmonq the ideas to be considered II
connection with reorganization OF th'
reg',iar army, as Judge Towner sees II
ia that the professional soldler is no
70 he encouraged. Provision VIII haV'
~ he made. he believes. to allow yount
rSen who have exceptional qualifications
FoT Tnon-commissioned officers TO remalI
Iongar than a wear and to re-eEltst. Am
nIe proyision for training OF othcers, ~
feels, must be made on scale muci
Greater than now. II young man ue
slres to remain in the army longer thal
a wear and Is not a non-comnlsslohe'
,,ffcer. a possible plan Is to allow mn
to enter some other arm OF the service
Thus. after a year I'm the infantry n
might serve an enlistment per1od IN TN
cavalry. the field artillery, the coas
artillery, the engineers, or the sigma
corDs. However, re-enlistment, eNcep
az to men of capacity for non-commls
stoned command OF for officers Woul'
not be encouraged. - !,
While Judge Towner has not put nj
ldeas into the form OF a bill, 1t Is PROB
abIe he will do so later. Around u
question Of the short-term enllstmen
here is certain to center much dIscus
ion. American military attaches abroa
have been studying It. 1t Is known the
nave found that ten months tralnin
has worked wonders with the Enshs
VolOnfeerB.