New-York tribune., 1919-08-03
Bill Representing Id a $
of War Department Is
Expected to Reach Con.
gress Early This Week
"Details Are Not Disclosed
Changes Possible Later,
After Pershing and Other
Officers Are ard

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2.-The War
department. bill providing for mod
crate system Of universal military
training as the settled mil itary policy
OF the nation will be laid before Con-
gress without further delay. Probably
1t Will be in the hands of Senator
'Wadsworth and Representative Kahn,
hcads OF the two. military committees
early next week.
Previous plans for extended con-
ferences with General Pershing and
other overseas officers before present.
ing the bill have been abandoned. For
that reason, however, it is understood
the comm ttee chairmen will be in
formed that while the project included
IN the proposed measure represents the
best judgment of the War Department
at this time, it is to be looked upon
as tentative in some respects, and sub
lect to possible mod fication in The
ilght OF the experience and Judgment
OF these officers when their testimony
snail be available. The department. it
IS understood. is not only will 'ng, but
anxious, that General Pershing and his
officers should be heard, and Secretary
Baker is expected to make this clear
IN ms letter transm' ting the bill.
Training at Age of 19
Details of the departments bill have
not been made public. There are indi-
cations, however, that it differs essen
TALLY in some ways from the Kahn
Ohamoe rlaln universal training bill al
ready before the committees.
In previous d scussions of the sub
!ect most army officers held that train
ing should be given in the nineteenth
year Secretary Baker expressed the
same views, and it is thought probable
the War Department plan will lie found
10 call for ira ming of youths of nine
teen, instead Of eighteen, as provided
IN the Kahn Chamberlain measure.
Another point on which the depart
ments Judgment is awaited with inter
est is the amount of training to be
required. Throughout the extended
study OF the subject in which various
branches of the general staff have been
engaged ever. since hostilities. ceased
this has been difficult problem. Eco
nomic considerations, it mas been fat
required that the time taken out of
the life of 100000 or more boys a year
who probably would be liable for the
military instruction under any fair
plan of exemptions that could be adopt
ed, should be fixed at the jrreducjble
minimum of what military considera
stions required.
May Cut Training Period
The Kahn Chamberlain bin ,von,d
provide for six months training. There
IS some reason to believe, however, that
the War Department would be satisfied
all things considered, with less than
that probably with half as much time
devoted to intensive instruction.
The necessary result of limiting the
training period to less than six months.
some officers have said, would be to
compel abandonment, of all projects for
vocational or other educational work.
All that could be done would be to
concentrate on purely military in
sstruction. Three months of intensive
instruction, it was said, would fit tho
boys only for ready assimilation of fur
ther training under active service CON
dltlons in case war emergency called
them out during their period Of H.
ability