Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-05
WAR MESSAGE AIDS
UNIVERSAL TRAINING
Stock of Proposed Legislation
Scars Following Presidents
Address to Congress.
BIG ISSUE OF SESSION

Universal military training and serv-
ice is looming up as one of the great
issues in the present special session
of Congress. The stock of the proposed
legislation took a big jump upward
Immediately following the Presidents
war message to Congress. Not only
Is war actually at hand. with a strong
influence in favor of universal training
and service, but the Presidents state
ment that at least 100000 men should
be added to the military forces and
that they should ''be chosen upon the
principle of universal liability to serv-
ice, and also the subsequent additional
increments of equal force so soon as
they may be needed and can be handled
in training" has had strong effect
The speech of the President has been
construed by many members of Con-
gress as a declaration in favor of uni
versal military training and service.
although some of them hold that the
President had reference only to the
present war and was not advocating
permanent system.
Senator Chamberlain's View.
Senator Chamberlain, chairman of the
advocate of universal military training,
said today:
II construe the message of the Pres
ident to favor the principle of universal
military training and service. 1 think
that the country will so construe it. l
believe there is much more hope of
passing universal training bill today
than there was a short time ago. 1
shall call my committee together al
most Immediately to take up the mat
ter"
Representative Caldwell of New York.
a democratic member of the House mil
itary affairs committee. who has intro
duced in the House universal mill
tary training bill similar to the Cham
berlain bill, said:
Il am confident that the House COM
mittee will report a universal training
bill favorably. We have majority of
one in the committee today in favor OF
universal military training. l am firm
ly convinced that the President meant
Congress to understand that he favored
the principle of universal military
training"
Senator Warren of Wyoming, rank
military affairs committee. said that
he agreed with Senator Chamberlain
ard Representative Caldwell as to the
Interpretation placed upon the Presi-
New Member Favors Plan.
Representative Lunn of New York.
democrat a new member of the House
committee, announced that he was in
favor of universal military training.
After hearing the Presidents ad-
Dress" he said, Il think that the only
logical conclusion is that the President,
too, is for universal military training
and service If he is for universal
service then he must be for training
the men for that service"
Chairman Dent of the House commit
tee is one of those opposed to universal
military training as a permanent sys-
tenn. He said he believed there was
plenty of legislation now on the statute
books to provide all the army needed
Representative Harrison of Virginia,
a democratic member of the committee,
who In the past has opposed universal
military training, said:
Il believe that what the President
said applied only to present conditio oifs.
But / am for preparedness and. II IL
becomes necessary, for military tram
ing for the young men of the country.
The matter might well be postponed.
however, until we are at peace We are
practically on a war footing now