The Washington herald., 1918-12-06
URGE TRAINING
ALL U. S. BOYS
America Surpasses British
in Troop Movement
By Draft.

Universal military training is one
of the more important questions tina,
VIII probably be urged again in Con-
gress in connection with the War De-
partments Dill to create a new army.
The conservative officers of the de-
partment believe that no system OF
military establishment will be prac-
tlcaoie or practical that does not in
voive that important principle. One
or the staff officers decided yesler-
day that 1t was almost obvious that
the United States could not put even
the proposed army of 500 900 regulars
on permanent basis without COM
pulsory military training of the youth
from one end of the land to the other.
Would Avoid Draft.
He pointed specifically to the fact
that at the time. early in 1917, when
1t was desired to increase the regular
army, the process was too slow and
that eventually it became necessary
TO resort to the selective service.
This would plainly not have been
necessary had there been throughout
the country large numbers OF young
men who had learned the arts Of war
and were imbued with the spirit of
immediate service TO the country.
The plan of military training for
the youth obtained he said in all i'm
portant countries except England.
and it was a matter of history that
the United States after the draft was
able to put into Europe as-many men
in one year as England had secured
in two years.
Ignored by Baker.
In his recent annual report Secre-
tary of War Baker did not touch
on the questionlof universal military
training but he apparently laid the
foundation for it in his suggestions
looking to a constant supply of Of
ficers.
|" There is no doubt that even II
peace were declared tomorrow that
the War Department would revert
to the system OF training the youth
of colleges and high schools with Of
ficers of the regular army. 1t is fur
ther believed however that the Con-
gress will authorize the training of
youths at summer camps in all the
States or II not in groups of States
like those in which the cantonments.
tent and permanent. were establish
/ d
partment regard the question as too
intimately connected with possible
developments at the Peace Confer
ence to express their opinions at this
time.
There is at the same time one
group of officers who are against
universal military training. They
take the ground that the future is
not like the past. Before the war
there was no large numbers from
which men already trained could be
called to the colors in an emergency.
Two Million Coming.
within a year or so they say there
will be back in the United States
nearly 100000 veterans mostly
young and 100000 in the United
States all young who will be a re-
serve of men used to the handling
of arms and well disciplined. The
conservative officers, however. say
that this argument is beside the
question. What is desired is not
men for an emergency. they say, but
the constantly effective working OF
a principle by which an army can
be accessible at all times.
The argument of the 1000. 900
troops in the United States who were
once soldiers. they say, will evident
ly disappear as valuable within less
than a generation.
The two main points in favor of
the universal training are that il
makes the country safe at all times
and that it develops the youth of the
country physically as a govern
mental principle and practice.