Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-02-11
BILL FOR UNIVERSAL
TRAINING IS SENT IN
Measure Providing for Six
Months Drill for ALI Men
Reported in Senate.
SEVEN YEARS IN RESERVE

w dsHutStoH, req. iu.-h uniNcIsd
military training bill was favorabl.
reported to the senate today by the
military affairs committee. Chairman
Chamberlain submitted the bill with
out comment, asking that it go to Tho
calendar. Senator Thomas, democrat
and Brady, republican. members q
the committee, reserved the right tc
submit minority reports.
Primarily the bill provides that al
men citizens or those who have de-
clared their intention to become citi
zens shall undergo six months mill
tary or naval training in the year il
which they reach the age Of l9 or III
the year when they first become liable
10 such service up to the age of 70
Ali men receiving such training would
be held in army or navy reserve I'M
til they reach the age of %.
The bill submitted by the commit
tee differs in many respects from the
plan being worked out by the army
general staff and was prepared by a
subcommittee with the assistance OF
Captain George V. H. Moseley, who
was for a time a member of the
general staff.
The measure at the outset contains
a provision that in the first year OF
its operation the periods Of training
should be three instead of six months.
Many limitations and exceptions are
provided.
Many Exemptions Authorized.
Under the terms OF the bill exemp-
ton from the proposed military train
ing would include the following:
Members Of the permanent military OF
naval forces OF the United States.
Persons physically unfit for any military
or naval service whatever.
Persons on whose earnings father
mother. brother, sister. wife or child 4.
wholly dependent for support.
Members Of any religious sect or orSanl-
zation now organized and existing whose
creed forbids them to bear arms in war
would not he required to undergo training
in the bearing or use Of arms, but would
military or naval service.
Persons convicted Of felony or Of noto-
riously bad character wouh be trained In
special units.
Credits for Other Training.
Persons who have completed a
course of military instruction, ap-
proved by the secretary of war OF
secretary of the navy, would be al
lowed a credit, which would consist
OF deduction for the training period
of not more than one month for each
year in which they have completed
such course to the satisfaction OF the
secretaries of war or navy. The period
of actual training undergone, however
as member of what would be known
as the citizen reserve army or citizen
reserve navy, would never be reduced
to less than three months by these
credits. No substitute may be ac-
cepted and no one would be permitted
to escape training by payment OF
money or other inducement. While
undergoing training all would receive
expenses, clothing and medical at
tendance. .,. ..
Means for Enforcement.
As further and drastic means OF
compelling training the bill would pro-
hibit the employment of any person
up to the age of % years who is or
has been liable to be trained under
this act unless he has a certificate OF
training or an unexpired certificate OF
temporary exemptions or certificate
OF permanent exemption from train
ing.
For administering the army train
ing, the country would be divided into
districts by the secretary of war.
Each person at the time OF regis
tration would be permitted to express
preference for the army or navy.
In the event Of a defensive war OF
OF imminent danger thereof the presi-
dent would call out all or any part OF
the reserve army or the reserve navy
by classes, the youngest class first.
The reserve army or the reserve navy
could not be used in cases of strikes
or other industrial disputes.
Strict prohibition regulations would
be enforced in all training districts.
Four Hundred Thousand Yearly.
The bill, Senator Chamberlain said,
would raise a reserve army and naval
force of 100000 trained men annually