Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-10
MILITARY TRAINING
BILL IS REPORTED
Measure Before Senate, But 1t
Differs From the Plan of
Army General Staff. !
BRIEF OF PROVISIONS

universal military training bill was
reported favorably to the Senate today
by the military affairs committee.
Chairman Chamberlain submitted the
bill without comment, asking that it go
to the calendar. Senators Thomas.
democrat, and Brady. republican. men,
bers of the committee. reserved the
right to submit minority reports.
Primarily. the bill provides that all
man citizens. or those who have de-
clared their intent to become citizens.
shall undergo six months military or
naval training in the year in which
they reach the age of nineteen. or in the
year when they first became liable to
such service up to the age of twenty
six All men receiving such training
would he held in army or navy reserve
until they reach the age of twenty
eight.
The bill submitted by the committee
differs in many respects from the plan
being worked out by the army general
staff. and was prepared by a subcom-
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
should be three instead of six months.
Many limitations and exceptions are
provided.
Majority Report on Bill.
The majority report submitted by
Senator Chamberlain says:
1.-The criticism Of the advocates of the
measure. as well as its opponents, has as
rule not been constructive.
1.-The committee. however, has been
assisted very materially by George v. H.
W urhi he h
was under consideration was a member
of the general staff stationed here and de-
voted much time and intelligent effort
to the preparation of measure that
would harmonic with our own institu-
tons. The bill as presented, the COM
mittee believes. will do this.
The committee do not deem it ad-
visable or necessary at this time to dis
cuss the bill in detail or to do more
than to give an analysis Of it's various
provisions"
Exemptions Under the Bill.
Under the terms Of the bill exemption
from the proposed military training
would include the following:
Members Of the permanent military or
naval forces of the United States.
Persons physically unfit for any mil
itary or naval service whatever.
Persons on whose earnings q father
mother. brother. sister. wife or child
is wholly dependent for support.
Members Of any religious sect or or
ganization now organized and existing
whose creed forbids them to bear arms
in war would not be required to under
go training in the bearing or use of
arms, but would be trained in nom
combatant branches of military or
naval service.
Persons convicted of felony or Of no
toriously bad character would be trained
in special units.
To Count Military Instruction.
Persons who have completed a course
of military instruction approved by the
Secretary of War or Secretary Of Navy
would be allowed a credit which would
consist of a deduction from the training
period Of not more than one month for
such course to the satisfaction OF the
Secretaries of War and Navy.
The period of actual training under
gone, however. as a member of what
army or citizen reserve navy. would
never be reduced to less than three
months by these credits.
No substitute may be accepted and
training by payment of money or other
inducement. While undergoing train
ing all would receive expenses and cloth
ing and medical attendance.
AS a further and drastic means of COM
pelling training. the bill would prohibit
the employment of any person up to the
age of twenty-eight 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 ex-
emption or a certificate of permanent ex-
emption from training"
For administering the army training,
the country would be divided into districts
by the Secretary Of War.
Each person at the time of registration
would be permitted to express prefer
ence for the army or navy.
In the event of defensive war or of
imminent danger thereof the President
would call out all or any part of the
reserve army or the reserve navy by
classes: the youngest class first.
Not for Industrial Disputes.
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.
Tho bill. Senator Chamberlain said,
would raise a reserve army and naval
force of 100000 trained men annually
In the nine-year period during which
such men would be subject to the call
of the President estimates of the total
of trained men run from two to three
million.
Senators who studied the bill were
impressed with the provision that the
reserve force could only be utilized for
~ for