The Cordova daily times., 1917-01-18
STATE MILITIA INEFFICIENT
 EDDY
(Bv Associated Press.)


 otic sacrifices" the mobilization has proved that universal training under single federal control is the only satisfactory solution of the country's military problem, in the opinion of the committee on national defence ap pointed some months ago by Major John Purroy Mitchell to investigate the national guards concentration at the Mexican border in response to the call of President Wilson.
 The committees report just made public, urges universal military train. ing, but emphasizes "an immediate need" for an adequate standing force for the protection of the borders aud other similar service. The details of the countrys defence system should be worked out, it is recommended, by the military experts whose knowledge and experience are at the disposal of congress.
 Willard Straight, banker, formerly in the American consular service, is chairman of the executive committee signing the report Other members are Cleveland H. Dodge, William N. Dykman, George w. Perkins, Alfred E. Smith, Alexander Nj. White, and John Mitchell, labor leader. MT. Nit Chell dissented from the conclusion drawn in favor of universal military training.
 The report embodies information of economic and military character ob- tained from official and unofficial sources. War department data was studied, officers and men of the na- tiOnal guard were questioned, and military expert and critic of estab- lished reputation" visited the Mexican border The committee merely pre- sents the facts" the report points out, and draws from them the conclusion that voluntary enlistment and depend ence upon the dual federal and state control have proved a failure"
 By direct inquiry among New York state guardsmen, the committee says it ascertained that 65 per cent of the 2,400 who submitted replies had to give up their regular civilian income. Many of these reported they lost their positions and were unable to get them back when the men were mus tered out.
 Eighty-fOuT per cent of those who were questioned replied no when asked if they intended to enlist again. A great number declared "emphatical- ly for universal service" and asserted they would not do military service henceforth under any other system.
 In obtaining economic information the committee sent queries to employ CTS as well as to the men. Guards. men," the report says in this Connec. ton, told about their pecuniary losses and the suffering caused by their de pendents; and employers told of the effect of the mobilization on business, and gave their conception of a sound national military policy" The facts established, the report says, may be stated under two heads, economic and military. Regarding the economic side, it asserted:
 By bringing into service men with heavy family and business responsi, bilities, although there was available in the country far more than ade- quate number of unmarried men who had not attained a high economic value. the mobilization showed that the national guard scheme of defense was economically unsound It caused widespread distress to the dependents of guardsmen, and it took mature men from positions where they had estab lshed their usefulness to commerce and industry. The burden it threw upon employers was inequitably dis tributed. in that some employers con tinued to pay their men during ser vice while others cut off their mems pay. Under the prevailing system o voluntary enlistment, it was not pos sible to select from the national guard either before or afterwards, the clasi of men most easily to be spared fo military duty.
 Of the military aspect the repor continues;
 The mobilization showed that tn national guard was not to be depend ed upon for defense" Reports of tn secretary of war, and of bureaus 0 the war department, are cited fin SUI port of this finding.
 Statistics based on inquiry anon employers show that of 43l who el pressed opinions upon military pr' paration in general, 429 favored and two opposed it. Of 369 who el pressed opinions on universal servic, 356 favored 1t and 13 opposed it. Onl four employers favored a continuanC of the present national guard systen the report says, and two of these b lieyed also in universal service. Tn report continues:
 Next to the declaration of unive sal service. the most striking featul of the employers replies was the CT .la,gn tha,y y,Ianad unnu fha mad