Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-08
MILITARY POLICY FOR PEACE
(. - TIMES NOW WANTED IN u. S.
One of Most Important Reconstruction
Problems Facing Country-Contest
Over Universal Training.

tary policy is up for consideration in
Congress. The advocates of universal
military training have gained thou
sands of adherents in this country
have gone into the,Army. who have
seen the benefits of the training
physically and of the discipline and
instruction and who are soon to be
back in the ranks Of civil life are
relied upon as q powerful influence
military training. And three million
and more men. of voting age will have
potent influence in this country.
Question Up to Next Congress.
It is, about this question of uni
versal military training that the con-
viding a system of universal mill
tary training are pending in the Sem
ate and House today, it is unlikely
that any serious attempt will be
made to enact them into raw at the
present short session of Congress, ac-
corling' to Senator Chamberlain.
chairman of the Senate military af-
fairs committee, an ardent supporter
of military training, and Representa-
tive Julius Kahn of California. rank
tary affairs committee and also an
advocate of military training. The
reason they give is that the session
ends. March 4 next, and there is no
time except for the annual appropria-
ton bills.
The next Congress. therefore. will
have to wrestle with the question.
Has Support of Gen. Pershing.
Gen. Pershing is believer in uni
verssl military training. Other high
ranking officers of the Army share his
opinion, including Maj. Gen. Leonard
Wood, who has-labored in season and
was largely responsible for the
.'Plattsburg- idea" and the training
camps for reserve officers.
On the other hand. Secretary Baker
has been opposed to universal mill
tary training. and 1T is believed that
in this he has had the approval of
the President. Public opinion in the
end will settle this question, as 1t
has others i'll this country, however.
And if the demand is great enough
among the people there will be uni
versal military training.
The advocates Of universal military
training urge it's adoption not only be-
cause they see that it will prepare this
country efficiently for. any emergency
that may arise, but because they believe
effect upon the youth of the country,
making them physically strong, and will
teach them discipline. They say that
universal military training wiz not lead
to rnilitarism or to class distinctions for
the simple reason that the youth Of the
rich and the poor alike will be called
into training. 1t will be great leveler
instead, they say
France Escaped Systems Evils.
+ Republican France existed side by
side with autocratic Germany for years,
and both had systems of universal mill
tary training and service. Yet such a
system did not make France militaristic.
In Switzerland. another republic, uni
yersal military training has existed
for years, but it cannot be said that
militarism infests the country.
Senator Warren believes that if Con-
gress were today called upon to vote
on universal military training, ma
jority would be recorded for it. Sena-
tor Chamberlain says that he knows
the, sentiment fer universal training
has increased by leaps and bounds,
and Representative Kahn, in COM
menting upon the development of such
sentiment. says that whenever he
makes speech his references to
military training are vigorously an
plauded.
ihere are differences of opinion
among the supporters of universal
training as to the details of the pro-
posed system, but they can readily be
froned out; it is said. 31r. Kahn would
aaRe the young men OF eighteen years
OF age and put them into training
camps for period of six months in
tenstve training, Then he would turn
them out and they would go into the
reserves.
Many people have changed their
oil
make a soldier since the American
boys have gone into action in France
and Flanders" said Mr.. Kahn, dis
cussing this matter. II have had
Army officers tell me that it took
three years training to make a SOL
der. and still others who insisted it
took five years. Yet American boys
who have been trained for six months
have proved themselves efficient SOL
diers, and men who have trained for
nine months have defeated the picked
soldiers. of. Germany.
Six Months Training Adequate.
IT believe that If we give the young
men OF this country six months in
tensfve nihtafy training it will be
sufficient. Then they can go into
the reserves and be subject to cali
for military service if war comes.
Take them at eighteen. the age when
they can best be spared and at which
such training will do them the most
good"
Any attempt to return to the old
pre-war system. with a National
Guard in the various states, in the
opinion Of Mr.. Kahn. will meet with
very strong opposition. In his opinion
the National Guard Of the states has
served its period Of. usefulness and a
National Army must be the reliance of
the country hereafter. Mr.. Kahn be-