Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1917-02-15
MILITARY TRAINING,
BILL IN THE SENATE
UNIVERSAL SERVICE SENATE
BILL PLANS DEFENSIVE ARMY
OF s,1e5,ooo MEN.
AGE % THE RESERVE LIMIT
Instruct Each Male Months During
His 10th Year-Not for Strike
Duty-Not Expected Congress
Will Act This Session.

Duty-Not Expected Congress
Will Act This Session.
Washington-The senate military
committee has reported favorably a
bill framed by a subcommittee Gre
ating military and naval citizen
ship force based on universal train
ing and service. While the commit
tee report does not indicate any be-
lief that congress will act on the
measure at this session. the bill
brings to definite head the univer-
sal service discussion of the last few
months and offers specific plan
on which public sentiment can crys-
talize.
Six Months Service.
The bill requires six months train
ing without pay for all youths during
their 10Th year. Exemptions are con-
fined to the members of the regular
army and navy, those physically un-
fit, those who are the sole support
of dependent relatives, and those af-
filiated with religious creeds which
forbid them to bear arms. The lat
ter class are liable, however, for
training in the noncombatant branch
of the army.
1t is estimated the bill would pro-
vide for the training of 100000 boys
annually, each of whom would be
fllr1nNUhnn inf m nj
years after his training period. With
allowances for shrinkage of classes
due to various causes as the years
pass, this plan would give a total
force of 1,165,000 men who had had
six months training, at the end of
the first nine-year cycle, all subject
to call for service only in the event
Of defensive" war or the immi-
nence thereof, and could not be used
in cases of strikes or other indus
trial disputes.
Staff Desires Longer. Training.
The bill disagrees with the theory
of the army general staff as to the
amount Of training necessary to make
soldier fit to go on the battle line.
A year of intense instruction has been
declared by Major General Scott, the
chief Of staff, to be the minimum of
safety for the training of even de-
fensive soldiers. A universal train
ing bill, carrying the Endorsement of
virtually the entire membership of
the general staff and based on a
years training, is almost ready for
final submission to Secretary Baker
and the president. Neither official
has committed himself on the prin-
ciple of universal training.
The committee measure. which is
based on that prepared by Major
Moseley, formerly of the army gen.
eral staff, fixes military training as
a duty Of citizenship, denying nat
uralization until such training has
been at least begun or exemption
granted.
All government employment would
be closed to those who could not
produce certificates of training or ex-
emption and private employers would
be similarly prohibited from employ
ing any man who has evaded his
military service. A blanket penalty
with maximum Of $1,000 fine and
a years Imprisonment for each of.
tense is provided for the violation
of any section Of the act, except that
those who evade training when liable
for 1t must serve longer time.
For nine years, or until he has =
passed his 28th year, each reservist
would be required to appear in per.
son before the registration authori.
ties of his military district. In case
of war the youngest classes would be
called first. After his 18th year a
reservist would pass into the great
body Of the unorganized militia, sub
ject only to the general laws.
President to Carry Out Plans.
The bill provides no organization
after the troops leave training, but
the president is given wide latitude
in this regard. No changes in the
present national guard system are
provided for. Training would be in
military districts comprising single
states or groups of small states and
the establishment by lease or pur-
chase Of training environments in each
district is directed.