Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-12-22
COMPULSORY TRAINING
FOR UNITED STATES

'ion lor some sort of compulsory
miiitary service III the United States
recieVcd qualified support from Scc-
retary Baker today before the llouso
military committee, encouraging nm
poncnts of the present volunteer .vs-
tenn To predict that legislation for :.
change might be framed which would
he sanctioned 10y Mr.. Baker and nos
S'b!c hy President Wilson. The rrrsi-
dent mas said he would not nttcmp,
10 reach decision on the subicr,
Until u definite plan wns placed be
fore him.
Replying 10 81 direct qustion ~ 10
nus vicws on compulsory military
service Secretary !'nkcr said:
he Gn!igItion "a serve the coln
ny Is universal one. The question
j now To bring about preparations for
'"l"';.i defense is one Of policy rather
man theory. Whether universal mill
."iy arrVicc OF Sclcctivo conScription
III" correct answer | do not know.
i'hc theory of II common interest in
. common country would he satisfied
~ a h"thod OF selecting soldiers thai
wds not voluntary in character"
Give Guard Fair Trial
The Secretary told tho committee,
however that since Congress- had re-
ycctcd the continental army plan i'm
favor of the national guard system he
believed The guard should be given
Il tair tria. He did not nmplyfy his
suggestion in regard to the sclcc,ivc
conScription, but it is understood the
pan under consideration contcmplntcs
the making Of an inventory oC mon.
us is beng done with Industrial re-
sources. and JuvisinE n means where
by every citizen wuuld ho nude liable
IN Il war emergency for the character
OF work for which he is best fitted
by ms peace time training.
In the near future Mr.. Baker will
appear before the Senate sub com
mittcc which is hearing the opinions
Of army officials and others ON the
Chamberlain universal trninin~ bill.
Major General Scott. chief of stail.
was again before the ub-committcc.
today, urging universal service lcgis-
lation and submitting tho report on
the mobilization OF the national guard
for border duty compelled by Col. w.
G. Brown, from all information avail
able ut the War Depnrtmcnl.
The conclusion OF the general staff,
General Scott said, that no adcuuatv
defense could be built up under the
present volunteer syatcm, was fully
substantiated by tho reports of de-
patrmcntal commanders, inspectors,
instructors and others, included in
Col. Browns compilation.
Col. Brown, who commanded the
Tenth cavalry, under General Per-
shlng and led the detachment which
dealt the most severe punishment to
the villa bandits, was before the com
mittco himself and told of the hard
ships the troops in Mexico cncoun-
tered, of the forced marches and ter
oughly trained men and animals were
able to stand the train.
Mobilization Report.
The mobilization report shows that
of l2S,000 enlisted men of the militin
inspected on the border, 81 ,l79 or 63
per cent, were ither transferred from
miitia organizations not called out
or were new recruits, leaving only 81
per cent of the force representing
the national guard or the organized
militia element on the rolls of the or
ganizations in question nj the date
of call"
OF those who were on the rolls ut
the time of the call, according to the
report, 17,657 were lost for various
causes during the period Of transi-
ton into the federal service, making
the national guard MS it went to the
border substantially n volunteer
force. or the number lost, 1888 fail
ed to respond to the call ut all, and
23,72l were rejected for physical dis
ability.
The report says G3 per cent of ST.
2G3 men had less than three months
military training Of any ind and |
more than 10000 none at all, when |
they reached the border. The report
shows that 56,3l3 never had fired
military rifle ut all and that more
than 1000 others had received rat
ing of les sthan first class at the
targets.
Secretary Baker was warm in his
praise of the enlisted regulars and
informed the house committee that
he flihad approved a suggestion that
their pay be raised to $25 month.
He was enthusiastic over the sum
mcr training camp plan.
"a believe," he said, "that if the
United States were in a major cmcr-
gcncy, 30 per cent of those who at
tended the Plattsburg cncampmenL |
would enlist and be of very great |
value to the government. They would |
beat the rest of us To it,"
THE LAST CALL FOR CHRIST