The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-31
General Pershing Declares in
Favor of This Before Joint
Meeting of Com
mittees.
BENEFITS OF PROGRAM
Gives His Views on Permanent MIL
tar Policy Of United States
In Times Of
Peace.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.]
WASHINGTON. Oc. 31.-General
Pershing today declared for univer
sal military training.
Universal training brings many
benefits, and such benefits should
be universally extended to all of our
young men," he said.
Pershing appeared before a joint
meeting OF the house and senate
military affairs committees to out
line his views on the permanent mill
tary policy OF the United States.
The program, Pershing declared.
should include:
1. "A permanent military establish
sment large enough to provide against
sudden attack y
2. A small force sufficient for ex-
peditionary purposes to meet our IN
ternational purposes, particularly on
the American continent.
8. Forces sufficient to cope with
any internal disturbances.
4. A trained citizen reserve organ
lied to meet the emergency of war.
5. A standing army of 275,O00 to
OOU,UUU Lucu ID hLhPlS AoA eAS RSs~SS
time needs of the United States, Per-
shing declared.
Outlining the benefits which he
believed would result from adoption
of universal military training, Per-
shing included:
Development of physical vigor and
manhood; development of mentality;
decrease of illiteracy; teaching OF
discipline and respect for constituted
authority; development Of initiative
and better preparation for the duties
of citizenship. This last benefit,
Pershing said, is especially needed
among aliens in America.
If America had not been unpre-
pared, our rights would not have
been violated, Pershing said, and
added that this country's success in
the war was due to the united deter
mination Of the people rather than
to any forethought in preparedness.
1.-THE war has placed this country
in new light" Pershing said. 1t
is no longer measured by wealth, its
population nor our form Of govern
ment, but by our purposes to main
tain high ideals"
Pershing recommended that the
broad powers of army reorganization
allowed the president during war
time be continued in peace. This
is in accord with the general staff
view.
such powers are necessary in
time of war" he said. land would
be wise in times Of peace, with the
Limitation that the president could
not establish or discontinue bu.
reaus."
The number of general staff Off
GERS provided for in the army bill is
excessive, he said.
He predicted great future for
the air service and said that France,
Great Britain and Italy were laying
stress on this phase OF the army lie
declared that the United States
would make very great mistake in
allowing our aircraft department to
fall behind.
Pershings figure for the strength
of the army is about half that rec
commended by Secretary Baker and
Chief Of Staff March.
Pershing praised the work OF the
army nurses and said that in recog
milton of their splendid services the
women should be given rank as nign
as second lieutenant.
Pershing criticised the work OF
the general staff during the war ano
said that previous to the war the
staff never functioned. !,
"The fact that the general star
did not come up to expectations was
due to the fact that the nation mac
no experienced staff men," he SAID
/ MANY of the criticisms aimed
/ the general staff are well founded
hut this is explained by the fact tina
1 many things were attempted by the