The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-11


military committee reported favorably
today bill framed by sub. commit
tee creating il military and naval citi-
zen force, based an universal train
| ing and service. While the commit
tee report does not indicate any be-
lief that congress will act on the meas
ure at this session. the bin brings to a
definite head the universal service dis
cussion of the last few months and
offers a specific plan on which public
sentiment can crystalline.
| The bill requires six months train
| ing without pay for all youths during
| their nineteenth year. Exemptions
are confined to the members of the
| regular army and navy. those physic-
| ally unfit those who are the sole sup
port of dependent relatives and those
AFFILIATED with religious creeds which
forbid them to bear arms.
| It is estimated the bill would spro-
vide for the training of 500, 900 boys an
| nualy. each of whom would be fur
| Laughed into a reserve for nine years
after his training period. With al
lowances for shrinkagc of classes due
to various causes as the years pass.
| this plan would give Il total force of
3,l65,O00 men. who had had six months
| training, at the end of the first nine
year cycle. all subject to call for serv-
| ice only in the event of defensive"
war or the imminence thereof.
The bill disagrees with the theory OF
the army general staff as to the
amount of training necessary to make
soldier fit to go on the battle lines.
| although it contemplatcs about the
total strength proposed by staff Of
| ficcrs.
\ year Of intensive instruction has
been declared by Major General Scott,
the chief of staff, to be the minimum
of safety for the training of even de-
| fensive soldiers. A universal train
ing bill, carrying the endorsement of
general staff and based on years
training, is almost ready for final sub
mission to Secretary Baker and the
president. Neither official has COM
mitted himself on the principle oY uni
versal training.
The committee measure which is
based on that prepared by Major
Moseley, formerly of the army general
staff fixes military training as a duty
of citizenship, denying naturalization
until such training has been at least
| begun or exemption granted. All
government employment would be
closed to those who could not produce
certificates OF training or exemption
and private employers would be SINH
larry prohibited from employing any
man who has evadcd his military scrv-
Ice. A blanket penalty with "A maxi
mum of $1,000 fine and years i'm
prisonment for each offcnse Is provid-
i, cd for the violation of any section Of
the act. except that those who evadc
training. when liable for it. must serve
a longer time
For nine wears. or until he had
passed his 2Sth year. each reservist
would be required to report in person
annually to the registration authori-
ties of his military district In case
of war the youngest classes would be
called first, After his 2Sth year. II
reservist would pass into the great
body of the unorganizcd militia. sub
jcct only to the general laws.
The bill provides no organization
after the troops leave training. but
the president is given wide latitude In
this regard. No changes in the pres
ent national guard system are provided
for Training would be in military
districts comprising single states or
groups of small states and the estab-
liAhmsgt by lease or purchase of train
ING On nt,nrnents in eaGh distriet.is sdi-
rected. Registration and medical ex
aiming boards for each district or
subdivision also would be appointed by
] the president and word nf tha lat,a, . :,