Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-02-13
MILITARY TRAINING
BILL IN THE SENATE
UNIVERSAL SERVICE SENATE
BILL PLANS DEFENSIVE ARMY
OF s,165,ooo MEN.
AGE % THE RESERVE LIMIT
Instruct Each Male 8 Months During
His 18th Year-Not for Strike
Duty-Not Expected Congress
VIII Act This Session.

Washington.-Th senate military
committee has reported favorably a
bill framed by a subcommittee Gre
ating a military and navay citizen
ship force based on universal train
ing and service. While the commit
tee report does not indicate any be-
lief that congress will act on the
measure at this session, the bill
brings to definite head the univer-
sal service discussion of the last few
months and offers a specific plan
on which public sentiment can crys-
talize.
Six Months Service.
The bill requires six months train
ing without pay for all youths during
their 18th year. Exemptions are con
fined to the members of the regular
army and navy, those physically un'
fit, those who are the sole support
of dependent relatives, and those al
filiated with religious creeds which
forbid them to bear arms. The lat
ter class are liable, however, fol
training in the noncombatant branch
of the army.
1t is estimated the. bill would pro
vide for the training of 100000 boys
annually, each of whom would be
furloughed into a reserve for nine
years after his training period. Will
allowances for shrinkage of classes
due to various causes as the years
pass, this plan would give tota
force of 1,165,000 men who had hat
six months training, at the end o
the first nine-year cycle, all subjec
to call for service only in the even
of a defensive" war or the immi
nence thereof, and could not be use'
in cases of strikes or other indus
trial disputes.
Staff Desires Longer Training.
The bill disagrees with the theor
of the army general staff as to tn
amount of training necessary to max
a soldier fit to go on the battle line
A year of intense instruction has bee
declared by Major General Scott, tn
chief of staff, to be the minimum c
safety for the training of even d.
fensive soldiers. A universal trair
ing bill, carrying the Endorsement
virtually the entire membership G
the general staff and based on
years training, is almost ready fo
final submission to Secretary Bake
and the president. Neither offici;
has committed himself on the pril
ciple of universal training.
The committee measure, which
based on that prepared by MaJc
Moseley, formerly of the army gel
eral staff fixes military training g
a duty of citizenship, denying ma
uralization until such training ha
been at least begun or exemptio
granted.
All government employment woul
be closed to those who could M
produce certificates of training or e
emption and private employers woul
be similarly prohibited from emplo
ing any man who has evaded h
military service. A blanket penalI
with a maximum of $1,000 fine al
years Imprisonment for each
tense is provided for the Violate
of any section of the act, except tn
those who evade training when lab
for it must serve a longer time.
For nine years, or until he n;
passed his 2Sth year, each reservi
would be required to appear in pc
son before the registration author
ties of his military district. In ca
of war the youngest classes would
called first. After his 2Sth year
reservist would pass into the gre
body of the unorganized militia, su
ject only to the general laws.
President to Garry Out Plans.
The bill provides no organizati'
after the troops leave training, b
the president is given wide latitu
in this regard. No changes in t
present national guard system a
provided for. Training would be
military districts comprising sins
states OF groups of small states a
the establishment by lease or p'
chase of training environments in ca
district is directed.