The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-02-02
OPPONENTS AND PROPONENTS OF
UNIVERSAL TRAINING PRES
EMIT ARGUMENTS.
SENATE is LIKELY TO ACT
Indications Are That Upper House
viii Either Pass or Reject Measure,
but Chance of Action in House at
This Session is Believed Slight.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

hNNSRfc mat tAtt SttihlE Will dCpatS
and either pass or reject a bill for
universal military training before this
short session is ended. The indlea-
ton Is that Senator Chamberlain's
measure on this subject will be re-
ported favorably before long. The
hearings are drawing to a close.
It Is perhaps true that on no matter
or legislation which has been before
congress for years have the lines Of
favor and disfavor been so sharply
drawn as. on this piece of proposed
legislation which would give the youth
or the United States, irrespective of
their poverty, wealth or social stand
ing, military training. 1t Is only the
truth to say that the proposal has
grown In favor In congress since 1t be-
came so clearly manifest that the leg
islation In Its effect would be so broad
ly democratic. This means that no
young man, no matter what his fam
ily's position, power or wealth, could
escape what the young man without
money, power or position must give
to his country.
It Is not at all likely that universal
military training will become a fact
in this country for some little time.
1t Is, however, entirely within the
possibilities that the senate will pass
the measure at this session. 1t is
known definitely that some of the nd
vlsers of the administration have
changed their minds about the legis-
frrfF ntI xY sol
to 1t and now they are in favor of 1t.
There are men here ready to predict
that If the senate shall pass the meas
ure, although there is no hope that the
house Will act at this session, that
President Wilson next year will sug-
gest universal military training in his
address to congress.
Hearings On for Some Time.
The subcommittee of the senate
committee on military affairs has been
holding hearings on universal military
training for long time. Opponents
and proponents of the measure have
been appearing daily to give their
Views. There is In Washington an
organization called the American
Union Against Militarism. This or
ganization Is opposed to universal
military training. 1t has just had Its
hearing before the senate subcommit
tee. The organization produced some
physical training experts, a number OF
college students, some general educa
tors. some representatives of spar
ents' associations" and some former en-
listed men of the regular army to bear
evidence against the necessity of uni
versal military training.
PROFESSIONALLY the reason for tht
growth of favor of the measure II
Washington is due to the difficulty Ii
getting volunteer recruits either fol
Guard. The last army bill passed by
congress has not met the expectation:
of the men who supported it. The,
say so. George Il. Chamberlain, Demo
cratic senator from Oregon, but who
is native of Mississippi, has JUS
made statement declaring that rea
understanding of the bill and what i
Will do will cause its opponents t
change their minds on the subject o.
uulNerSui Iullllury lrulnlug.
Capital Mourns for Cody.
News of the death of Col. William
H. Cody, Familiarity and affectionatel,
known as Buffalo Bill. was received
with sorrow in the capital. In Wash
lngton Colonel Cody always has beef
a marked and familiar figure.
Among those who watched Buffal,
Bills Illness. with alternating anxiet,
and hope and fear for the outcome Il
Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles, U.
army (retired). Through many cam
paigns Miles and Cody camped, rod
and fought side by side. There wa
brotherhood of affection betweeN tn
two men.
Colonel Cody came to Washington
every winter of the latter years of hi
: life. lie always met General Mile
who makes this city his home. and tc
gether they lived over the old days o.
the plains from the time that Mile
, was in the field against the Arapahoe:
, the Cheyennes and the Kiowas, throug
his campaigns against the Sioux Q
3 the North and ending only when tn
. last great Indian uprising followin
:. the ghost dance craze, closed with til
surrender of Kicking Bear, Short Blu
4 and the rest of their followers at Pin
Ridge. S. D.. In February, 1891.
e knew Buffalo Bill intimately in tn
{ not-so-old days. He was gentle sou
but an untiring and hard fighter whe
e the necessity came. In Decembe
$ $780, the Indians of the Northwe:
became affected by Sitting Bull
It prophecies of the coming of an Ii
i dian Messiah who would set all thing
right. The buffalo were to return
a the herds of another day, the whit
man was to be overcome and the re
um man was to be restored to his own.
4 Sitting Bull was killed near Stan
1 ing Rock agency by Indian police. b
1 Foot and his band of 800 Indians, fir