Evening star., 1918-08-01
Insists on Vocational Educa-
ton as Part of InstruC-
ton for Youth.
DANGER IN APPLICATION
! THE CHIEF OBSTACLE
Various Proposals Have Been Made.
White House Not Yet Committed
to Definite Scheme.
RY DAVID LAWRENCE.


fcopyrieht, 1918, by the New York Evening
Post Companyo
For many weeks there have been
whisperings to the effect that Presi-
dent Wilson changed his mind about
universal military training as a per-
manent institution in American life.
Nothing definite has issued from the
White House or anywhere else about
1t. but, just the same, something has
happened-whether it can be called
a change of position on the part OF
the President or the discovery of a
way to develop the ideas which he
has always had about training the
youth of the country remains to be
seen.
The President has been besought to
give his approval to many plans for
system of universal training. Recent
ly it was understood that legislation
pending in the Senate was dropped be-
cause of administration disapproval.
That arose for a number of reasons
the shortage of officers to work out
lar way the scheme was mapped out.
scented Danger in Application.
Mr.. Wilson has always felt that
some system of universal military
training was desirable, but he scented
dangers in its application. Now he
has made it clear to those who have
preached the question with him that
6f plan can be formulated which will
make it possible to Introduce voca-
kional and industrial education on
large scale in this country it would
unquestionably be worth while doing.
No one has drafted complete or ade-
quate plan as yet. but different groups
bn it, knowing that the President will
NEive serious consideration to the va
!. ous proposals submitted.
1t is premature to say that any
thing, therefore, has been agreed
upon. The trend. however, so far as
legislation will be based-and it will
be an administration measure-seems
to be to- make it possible for America
to realize new kind of Americanism.
the education of all her youth in some
useful trade or occupation or profess
sion Immediately upon reaching the
age of eighteen. Whether it shall be-
compulsory in the sense of being
rigidly applied to everybody or selec-
tive in the sense of taking only those
who are not already the sole support
of their parents or relatives is an
illustrative of the comprehensive
nature of the inquiry now being con-
Quoted to discover the most feasible
plan.
One Idea Most Favored.
One idea that appears to have met
with favor is the requirement that
for seven years after a boy reaches
the age of eighteep he shall have to
take some form OF military training
and vocational education from the
government. The President is insist
ent that vocational education shall
accompany all military training, and
it would not be surprising if the lat
ter feature became predominant in
his plan.
There are so many young men who
cannot read or write at the age of
eighteen simply because the states have
failed to do their duty in compulsory
education. and there are so many
Young men who have not been guided
into trades or occupations which they
are best fitted to undertake, that the
advocates of a combined system of voca-
tional education and military. training
are confident the plan will do for Amer
lea in future days of peace what the
work or fight order is now doing for US
in time of war.
No Plan Yet Settled Upon.
There are many difficulties to be
smoothed out, many perplexing phases
of the question to be settled, and.
while the movement for universal
military training has been under way
for nearly three years, with the Ma
tional Security League as one of its
chief sponsors, it cannot be said that
the latter's plan, or anybody e1se's,
has been approved. The big develop
ment, however, is that the President
has virtually agreed to stand back
of a workable plan that meets his
ideas of vocational education as well
as military instruction.
Mr.. Wilson's position on universal
military training was perhaps best
expressed in an interview between
him and a committee from the Amer
Jean Union Against Militarism on May
8, 1916. the stenographic report Of
which, I believe, has never before
been published, but I give here an ex-
tract from it. The President said, in
part:
Not Inconsistent With Tradition.
'It is not inconsistent with Ameri-
can tradition that everybody should
know how to shoot and take care of
himself; on the contrary, it is dis
tinetly implied in our bill of rights
where the right to carry arms is re-
served to all of US.