The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-01-26
WILSON OPPOSED
TO 20 NPU PULSORY
SERVICE
Replies to Memorial By Maryland
League for National Defence
DEFENDS FEDERAL SYSTEM
Criticism of National Guard, Sc Says,
viii Not Accomplish Desired
Results.

Washington, Jan. 25.-President
Wilson, speaking today to delega-
tion from the Maryland League for
National Defense, which attacked the
National uard and advocated univers.
al military training, rebuked them
for their 'unrestrained language
and said they would have better
chance of his support if they were
more reasonable in their attitude.
The memorial read to the President
by Major Randolph Barton, spoke Of
the National Guard system as a dis
grace" and failure" 1t urged uni
versal compulsory military training
and service and mentioned the moDi
lizaticn of the National guard along
the Mexican border as an example of
the failure" of the system.
President Wilson told the delega-
tion that their attitude closed the op-
portunity for discussion of the ques-
tion and was not helpful.
The President, discussing compul-
sorry military, service, declared that
unquestionably physical training was
needed and would accomplish great
deal. "but it can be had without COM
pulsory military service"
Il do not need to prove TO you or
anybody my deep interest in his sub
ject," said the President. Il will
frankly say to you | would have been
more impressed by this memorial if
it had been expressed in more re-
strained language. From some of the
unqualified statements in this paper
must frankly dissent. ] think it due
TO my colleagues on the hill (the
CapitoD to say so at this offhand con-
demnation of the system which they
adopted after long debate upon the
urgency OF many of the leading citi-
zens of the country; 1t is the least that
| can do. You do not commend
cause which deserves the most ser.
ious consideration by presenting it as
you have presented it.
These things impress me the more
after what we have heard from the
medical societies. Unquestionably
physical training is needed and will
accomplish great DEAL but it can
be had without compulsory military
service, and compulsory military SER
vice does not meet the difficulties
which you have alluded to. Any brief
service in the army of the United
States withdraws men from civil pur-
suits just as much as the recent SER
vice on the border does. No service
except standing army with profes-
sional soldiers prevents that occasion
al and frequent withdrawal of men
from civil pursuits. That may be in
evitable, but what you are proposing
does not meet the difficulty which you
condemn. These things are OF the ut.
most intricacy and difficulty and are
not to be settled excathedra
And yet, Notwithstanding the fact
that think you have gone too far,
will say to you that, of course, this
will have my most earnest considera-
ton. 1t is receiving serious consid-
Grafton with the country and we in
Washington, of course share and feel
the great tides of opinion in the
United States. am sure that,
speaking, if | may speak, for the
members of the house of representa-
tives and of the senate we are all de-
sirous of doing the wise thing for the
defense of the country, and it must
and it will be done, but we must not
close debate by having too dogmatic
an opinion as TO method
Il know that you will understand
the spirit in which | make that pro-
test and this statement"