Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-16
'RAPs WAR HEAD ON
UNIVERSAL TRAINING
National Security League
President Calls Secretary In
consistent in Open Letter.
TERMS DELAY NEGLECT

Special Dispatch to Tho star
NEW YORK, December 15---S. STAN
wood Menken, president OF the Nauonaf
Security League which recently renewed
its nationwide effort 10 create a demand
upon Congress for the immediate passage
of universal military training law, sent
the following open letter today to Secre-
tary of War Baker.
The letter charges him with ineonsisf-
ency and dangerous change Of position
In his reputation of universal military
training in his annual report, published in
today's papers.
II notice in your annual report that you
say you do not now favor universal milf
tary training as a national policy.
Without in any way lessening my admiral
ton for the intense work YOU have done
since you have taken ONCE. I would
strongly differ with you as TO your pres
ent view.
II know that some years ago you be-
heved war could not come to this coun-
try. find You again revert to the pos
sibility of universal peace. I would
respectfully suggest while that should
be the aspiration of all, experience has
proven the error of that ideaiism, The
present difficulties in Washington are
due 10 two things:
cd The absence of citizenry
trained to arms.
"t2l The total disregard of the de-
mands for preparedness which were
the outbreak of the European war.
Three Years Neglect.
1.-THE great struggle OF your depart
ment has been to overcome in six
months the neglect of three years. If
the policy of universal obligatory milf
tary training is not adopted you are
a ,f ay :
| listing conditions of strain and danger
The fact that tens Of thousands of
men are going to die at the front be-
cause We have committed the unpar-
donab1e military crime of being too
late should make us willing TO under
take any sacrifice to safeguard future
generations. Any argument against
universal military training is the de-
NAL of the truth of Washington's adj
vice that we must be prepared if we
are to avoid insult.
u write you because / know you
will recognize the petition. signed by a
| million persons, which we presented in
Washington represents spontaneous ex-
| preston.
Furthermore. we have obtained the
pledge of forty-four senator's and 1eI
representatives to vote for universal
| military training. and the mayors Of ali
important cities and the editors of prac-
tically all the leading newspapers with
few exceptions support the enactment
May We quote to you your own words
given out in an interview in Washington
on May %, 1916:
LAS there exists a universal obliga.
ton resting on all male citizens to de-
fend the country in time of war, so there
should be universal willingness te
train in times of peace against the day
| of such emergency. My belief is that
educational institutions of this countr,
should see to 1t that every boy has in.
istilled in him that one Of the cardinal
duties, If not the paramount duty hs
will assume with citizenship. Ia the obli-
cation to defend his country In time Of
war"
in conclusion, may I respectful,
ask you how you expect this principl,
to be operated with Justice and eff
ciency except by having universal OBJ
ligatory military training"
| Senator Chamberlain of Oregon
chairman of the Senate committee OF
military affairs, and father Of the mrs
universal military training bill, ans
Representative julius Kahn of Cali
fornia, who led the fight in the HOUSE
for the Presidents se1ectiye draft bill
and introduced in the House the Arm,
general Stairs universal military train.
ing bill. will be the guests of honor al
ia luncheon to be given by the Nationa
Security League in New York at The
Hotel Aston on Saturday, January 10
On this occasion plans will be laid fol
the promotion throughout the country
with the aid of the ESQ branches Of thu
National Security League In the vari
GUS states, of universal military training
week