New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-12-17
FAVOR UNIVERSAL
MILITARY TRAINING
145 Representatives and SO Sena-
tors Endorse Principle

New York, Dec. 13.-The National
Security leagues announces today that,
as a result of a poll of the men who
will sit in the 66th Congress being
conducted by it, the league has now
on record definite commitments in
favor of Universal Military Training
by 145 representatives and SO sena-
tors.
In making public the results to date
of it's poll, the league emphasizes
the fact that it is conducting the same
purely on the basis of the principle
of universal military training and not
in advocacy of any particular plan
that the enactment should take. In
its most recent poll letter, the league
even asks each member Of the 66th
congress for suggestions as to the
form of enactment. This letter reads
Basic Tenet of League.
"One of the basic tenets of the Ma
tional Security league, as you may
know, has been the adoption of a
federal system OF universal military
training and instruction as the per
manent basis of national defense The
league has however, not pressed this
active war work was the business Of
the nation. Believing that universal
military training will now again be-
come a question Of great public inter
est, the league would appreciate tho
viewpoint upon it of every member of
the Sixty-Sixth congress.
"In the Sixty Fifth congress, before
the. adoption of the selective draft
In rpSnOnSe n various noIIS CopI1,c+cd
by US AZ senator's and 176 represent
tatives definitely committed them
= selves in favor Of universal military
training.
Suggestions Asked.
whether or not you have previous
ly expressed yourself upon this sub
ject to the league, will you not kindly
give us a brief statement of your views
at the present time as to the enact
ment into law of universal military
training, and as to the form you be-
lieve this enactment should take?"
This letter is signed by Lloyd Tay-
lor, chairman of the Security leagues
universal military instruction and
training committee" MI. Taylor is
| a wealthy retired importer of this city,
who is now devoting his entire time
to the chairmanships Of this commit
tee and the leagues membership COM
mittee. He was the originator of the
great Preparedness parade in 1916 and
| Of the mammoth universal military
| training petition to congress contain
| ing nearly a million signatures from
all parts Of the country which was
! presented by the league just after the
declaration of war.
/ Goth Congress Poll.
! The figures used in Mr.. Taylor's
| letter-42 senator's and 176 represent
| tatives-were of commitm Of
members of the present congress, the
! league, as explained in its letter to the
men who will sit in the new congress,
| having refrained from pressing the
question Of universal military training
while the nation had more immed
! business at hand.
The league declares that it conf
! dentlE expects that the total of the
| commitments in the 66th congress will
! far surpass those of the 65th congress
when the new poll is completed To
| date, no m ember of the 65th congress
who will also sit in the 66th congress
whom the league had previously re-
corded i'm favor of universal military
! view. The only congressman elect
| who has declared himself against uni
versal military training is NJ. O. Nc
Laughlin, president of the York Bust
ness college, York, Neb., who defeated
Congressman Sloan in the November
elections. He writes to the league:
wrecked Germany
IT am opposed to fastening on this
country the same system which has
! wrecked Germany, and has brought
untold suffering upon all the world.
In my judgment, universal military
| training will wreck any nation that
! adopts it and pursues it."
Mr.. Mclaughlin makes a total of
/ nine members OF the new House of
Representatives definitely recorded by
| the Security league against universal
| and its experience in raising an army
have strengthened the opinions Of
m emNbers of congress in favor of the
adoption of universal military train
| ing a permanent basis of the ma
! TONS defense. A, few extracts from
| these letters follow:
"PitiabIe Condition."
! Congressman Mott of New York
IT believe the war and our unpre-
! paredness for it should have con-
| verified the opponents to universal
| military training"
Congressman Wood of Indiana-'I
! hope we will never have another war
| where military forces Of this country
will have to be called into action, but.
| in the event we should have, I want
our country prepared to meet It. and
| not be found in the pitiab1e CON
1o