Arizona republican., 1917-02-24
UNIVERSAL SERVICE.
 PLAN GIVEN SENATE.
 FOR CONSIDERATION
IRepubI;can A. p. Leased Wire1

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23. The army general staff universal service bill was transmitted to the senate military. committee today by Secre- tary Baker without a definite ex- pression by the administration either on the general subject or the specific proposal
 The secretary said 1t was not thought congress could give so in tricate problem consideration in the closing days of this session. but suggested that wide publicity be given the staff plan, to the end that both congress and the war department can in any subsequent consideration given to the subject have the bene- lit of an enlightened, thoughtful pub lie opinion on the needs and wishes of the country"
 As yet" the letter of transmittal continues, T am not prepared to say officially for the war department that the ree1 of the country can reasonably be said to be for so great an establishment, nor can we yet. without further study and delibera- tion. be confident that the means
 
 to the need which it shall be deter mined wise to foresee."
 Tn round numbers. the staff plan would supply a trained force of 4,000.000 men with one year of in 1ensive military instruction. It is estimated by the war college that ap- proXimatel1 50O000 boys in their nineteenth year would be available for training annually They would under the plan. be liable to call to the colors until 32 years of age, pass ing after :he first eleven months ot their training to the first reserve for the next four years and one month; then into the second reserve, and finally into the unorganiZed reserve un-il they reached the age of 45.
 The purpose of the bill is~t to con- Stitute the first reserve as a fully or ga1ized and equipped fighting force with strength of 100000 ready to respond instantly to a call to arms The ssecond reserve. of equal size but only partially equipped, would require some time to take the field Event ually there would be l .000. 900 add- tional trained men ready to fill in Sars at the front.
 In addition to these forces. there would be a regular army, composed of men choosing military life as d profession, of 24.000 officers and 2S5,- SS5 enlisted men. Of these, STOOL would form the oversea forces, and 29,000 the frontier forces, the re mainder composing the permanent training personnel which could take care of the instruction of from 492,- 3es 10 65i. 29e reserve recruits an nually. If the proportion of available men for training was greater than the figure given. the permanent training force would have 10 be pro- portionately increased.
 Tn estimating the cost of mainten- 2nce of the proposed army, the war college figures that an annual mili- tary budget of SAP 25S,7 would be required to keep up the proposed force at a strength of 3.296,g23 men including the regulars. The tota. represents an annual cost per man Of S143.28 and includes the cost of training 475,000 recruits. although it does not enumerate them as avail ale soldiers.
 In comparison with this the staff says eventual military budgets under the present national defense act will be S3S9 543 00C to maintain a partial ly trained force of S26,572 national guardsmen in addition to the regular army. or a total of l. 137200 men at per capita cost of Se9S5S
 After discussing various military plans considered and the federaliza- ton of the national guard. Secretary B3ker's letter continues:
 This plan is regarded by the mill tary experts Of the general staff as ideal. They recognize, however that 1t involves not only radical depar- ture from the military traditions O. the country but that it presents a vast scheme of organization far larg- CT both in cost and results than any thing yet seriously considered by the people of the United States.
 The general staff believe the plan.' however, to have this merit: that it can be dsed, Tn part. from the train ing of less number of men and at less cost in proportion. so that, should the opinion of the country, when thoroughly informed, come to favor the principles upoE which this preae- ure is based, it's application could be as rapid or as gradual as the con gress may determine wise under the circumstances.
 The bill here transmitted looks to the annual training or about 800 900 men who, when trained, pass into the reserve until ultimately there will be available an aggregate force in the active and reserve force of the couu- try of about 2. 100000 men. The war college will place itself at your dis posal, either to study any suggested plan. or to advise upon notifications of the draft herewith transmitted should your committee desire such notifications in any Of the details
 'Tbe questions at issue in any such project as this are to measure. first the prospective need of the country, ard then to determine the measures appropriate to meet it. The plan is therefore. to be examined from both points of view, and it's discussion throughout the country will throw light on both questions"
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