Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-01-30
DEBATE ARMY BILL
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.


Washington. = 1t seems entirely
probable that the senate will debate
and either pass or reject a bill for
universal military training before this
short session is ended. The indica-
ton is that Senator Chamberlain S
measure on this subject will be re-
ported faVorably before long. The
hearings are drawing to a close.
1t is perhaps true that on no matter
of legislation which has been before
congress Cor yeaEs have the lines Of
favor and >disfavor been so sharply
drawn as on this piece of proposed
legislation which would give the youth
of 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 it 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
fly's position, power or wealth, could
escape what the young man without
money, power or position must give
TO his country.
II is not at all likely that universal
military training will become a fact
N this country for some little time.
It is, however, entirely within the
possibilities that the senate will pass
the measure at this session. 1t is
known definitely that some of the adj
visers of the administration have
changed their minds about the legis-
latiOn. Originally they were opposed
TO it and now they are in favor of it.
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 a 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. number of
college students. some general educa-
tors, some representatives of par
ents' associations" and some former en-
listed men of the regular army to bear
evidence against the necessity of uni
versal military training.
UnquestiOnably the reason for the
growth of favor of the measure in
Washington is due to the difficulty in
getting volunteer recruits either for
the regular army or for the National
Guard. The last army bill passed by
congress has not met the expectations
of the men who supported it. They
say so. George E. Chamberlain, Demo-
cratic senator from Oregon, but who
is a native of Mississippi, has just
made statement declaring that real
understanding of the bill and what it
will do will cause its opponents to
change their minds on the subject of
universal military training,
Capital Mourns for Cody.
News of the death of Col. William
f. Cody, Familiarity and afTectionately
known as Buffalo Bill, was received
with sorrow in the capital. In Wash
ington Colonel Cody always has been
a marked and familiar figure.
Among those who watched Buffalo
Bits illness. with alternating anxiety
and hope and fear for the outcome is
Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles, U. S.
army (retired). Through many cam
paigns Miles and Cody camped, rode
aud fought side by side There was
a brotherhood of affection between the
two men.
Colonel Cody came to Washington
every winter of the latter years of his
life. He always met General Miles
who makes this city his home, and to-
gether they lived over the old days on
the plains from the time that Miles
was In the field against the Arapahoes,
the CheyenneS and the KiowaS, through
his campaigns against the Sioux of
the North and ending only when the
last great Indian uprising following
the ghost dance craze, closed with the
surrender of Kicking Bear, Short Bull
and the rest of their followers at Pine
Ridge. S. D.. in February, 1891.
knew Buffalo Bill intimately in the
not-So-old days. He was a gentle soul,
but an untiring and hard fighter when
the necessity came. In December,
1880, the Indians OF the Northwest
became affected by Sitting Bulls
prophecies of the coming of an In
dian Messiah who would set all things
right The buffalo were to return in
the herds of another day, the white
man was TO be overcome and the red
man was to be restored TO his own.
Sitting Bull was killed near Stand
ing Rock agency by Indian police. Big
Foot and his band of 500 Indians. firm
in the belief that the "ghoSt shirts"
would turn the bullets of the white
man, met and fought the Seventh cav
airy at Wounded Knee creek. The
band virtually WIS exterminated and
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