The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-26
new CONGRESS IS
EXPECTEDTOURGE
MILITARY TRAINING
Great Many Representatives
and Senators Have Endorsed
Principle in Poll by Security
LEAGUE.

GSuSuSS
NEW YORK. Dec. 2S.-The National
Security league announces today that,
as a result Of a poll Of the men who
will sit in the seth congress being con-
quoted by II, the league has now on
record definite commitments in favor
OF universal military training by 146
representatives and SO senator's.
In making pubic the results to date
or 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 it's most
recent poll letter, the league even asks
each member of the Goth congress for
suggestions as to the form OF enact-
ment. This letter reads:
"One of the basic tenets of the Ma
tional Security league, as you may
know, has been the adoption of a fed
eral system of universal military train
ing and instruction as the permanent
basis OF national defense. The league
has, however, not pressed this matter
during the past months, when active
war work was the business OF the ma
ton. Believing that universal military
training will now again become a ques-
ton Of great public interest, the league
would appreciate the viewpoint upon 1t
of every member of the 66th congress.
I'm, the 65th congress, before the
adoption of the selective draft, in re-
sponse to various polls conducted by
us, AZ senator and 176 representatives
definitely committed themselves In IA
yor of universal military training.
Suggestions Asked.
whether or not you have previously
expressed yourself Upon this subject to
the league, will you not kindly give US
a brief statement of your views at the
present time as to the enactment into
law of universal military training, and
as to the form you believe this enact
ment should take?"
This letter is signed by Lloyd Tay-
lor, chairman Of the Security leagues
Universal Military instruction and
Training Committee" Mr.. Taylor is a
wealthy retired importer of this city,
who is now devoting his entire time
to the ch~airmanships Of this commit
tee and the leagues membership com
mittee. He was the originator of the
great preparedness parade in 1915 n
of the mammoth universal military
training petition to congress, contain
ing nearly a million signatures from all
parts of the country, which was pre-
scented by the league just after the dec
laration of a
The figures used in Mr.. Taylor's let
ter, AZ senators and 176 representatives,
were Of commitments of members or
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 immediate business at
hand.
The league declares that 1t conf
IDENTIFY expects that the total of the
commitments in the SiXty-sixth con-
grace will for GITna CO thngn Of the
Sixty-fifth congress when the new poll
is completed. To date, no member Of
the SiXty-fifth congress, whom the
league had previously recorded in ia
vor of universal military training, has
indicated any change of view. The only
himself against universal military
training is M. O, Mclaughlin, presi-
dent of the York Business college, York,
Neb., who defeated Congressman Sloan
in the November elections. He writes
the league:
Wrecked Germany"
II am opposed to fastening on this
country the same system which has
wrecked Germany and has brought I'M
told suffering upon all the world. In
my judgment. universal military train
ing will wreck any nation that adopts
it and pursues it."
u hllll ldhCc Il wal VI
nine members Of the new house of rep
resentatives definitely recorded by the
Security league against universal mill
tary training. The others are: Con-
gressmen Huddleston, of Alabama,
Hayden, of Arizona, Sears, Of Florida,
Crisp and Larsen, of Georgia, Sanders,
of New York, and Saunders and Har-
rison, of Virginia.
The league has received to date
definite opposition to universal mill
tary training from only three senators
who will sit in the Sixty-sikth con-
gress, namely: Senators Kirby of Ar
kansas. Williams, of Mississippi, and
Gronna, Of North Dakota. Senator
V~ardaman. of Mississippi, is an oppo-
nent' of universal military training, but
he will be missing when the new roll
is called.
The great majority of the letters
received by the Security league in its
new poll lay emphasis or the fact that
the Country's unpreparedness for wal
and its experience in raising an army
have strengthened the opinions of
members of congress in favor of the
adoption of universal military training
as the permanent basis of'the nations
defense, A few extracts from these
letters follow: