The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-09
DENT WOULD NOT PRUSS|AN|zET THIS
 GREAT FREE LAND Goes Into Detail Why He Opposes Universal Mili- tary Training Now SAYS THERE IS NO
 FULL AGREEMENT Subject Is Too New and Too Big to Be Taken Up While
 Present War Is in
 Progress
By HUGH ". ROBERTS

Washington, December S.--(Special Sustaining and ampHfying previot dispatches in this connection, Repro sentative Dent, chairman of the Houf committee on military affairs in prepared statement, reiterates expre1 sions of opposition to compulsory min tary training as contemplated legisiI tion in time of war.
 Tn his statement he gives what | terms practical reasons for his opII sition and intimates that in additi | there are others. He speaks of tho who still believe in American ins tutions and American ideas and W are unwilling to exchange such ide for a system of militarism."
 Furthermore, he remarks: 'In an a tempt to democratize the world should not be Noo eager to Prussia ize America" He concludes by CT the ideas of the President or the Sed phasizing the fact that in his statd ment he is not attempting to conve| retary of War.
 DENTS STATEMENT
 MT. Dent declares his position in tt] following language:
 q have taken the position that thi is an inopportune time for Congres to undertake bill providing for com pulsory universal military training.
 "Such legislation would be entire ly new in this country.
 q have been unable to find an two advocates of such legislation wh agree upon any concrete bill upon tn subject It would require length hearings and painstaking work to ma out bill, even if the country favore it, that would meet the approval of a sections and classes.
 'arhe cost would be great to be gin with and enormous in the end.
 we are now undertaking to raise equip and discipline an army of me drafted from all walks of life and W are badly in need of officers for thl purpose It occurs 10 me that 1t Woul be impracticable at this time to spa1 a sufficient number of officers for tlj instruction of all of the youths in thl country under a compulsory universs training law
 s.Certainly it would greatly depict if not demoralize the organization c the forces intended to meet the presen war situation.
 Under the national defense act vol unteer military training in the ali ferent schools, colleges and unlversl ties in the country was provided 10 but many of them have been unabl to take advantage of this law becaus of the lack of officers. It is eas enough for people to theorize upo measures of this kind, but when comes to put them to practical az plication the question is entirely dlf ferent.
 "These are the present, urgent, prae tical reasons why I do not believe tha such legislation should be attempte at this session of Congress. In thi statement I have not discussed tn reasons why some of us who sti believe in American institutions an American ideas are unwilling to eS change these institutions for a syS tenn of militarism.
 tIn an attempt to democratize tn world we should not be too eager Prussianize America.
 s1n expressing these views, Of cours do not undertake to say what tn views of the President or the war de ]. partment may be upon this supJec I am simply speaking for myself a to what I believe should be the prope course to pursue in trying to win tn war, with the declaration or Whlcn am in thorough accord"