El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-26
WANT REGULARS
TO TRAIN BOYS.
Congressman Favor Uni
versal Military Training
for United States.

Washington. d. c.. July 26.-uni-
versal military training OF some sort
Of the United States is imperative.
This was asserted today by repre-
sentative Madden of Illinois, who has
Just returned from an extensive trip
through France. during which ne in
vestigated every phase Of military
matters in connection with the Amer
lean expeditionary forces ard lessons
learned by .he military OF different
countries engaged in the world war.
Representative Madden was one Of
the congressional committee which
went to France following the cessa-
ton Of hostilities to investigate con-
ditiOns in the American eXpeditonary
forces, and personally to examine war
records with a view 10 settling upon
a future military policy for the United
The expressions OF Mr. Madden fol-
low generally along the same lines s
expressed by representative Kahn OF
California, chairman OF the military
affairs committee Of the house, and
are believed to be Indicative OF the
general trend OF thought among at
least majority Of the members VINO
we're overseas, as a result OF what
they have seen and what they have
been told by United States and allied
Mr. Madden expressed the opinion
that a comparatively small regular
army viii be sufficient for the United
States in time Of peace he prefers.
however. that congress should take
few months time to digest the expe-
riences Of the war before determining
upon a permanent military policy
should Deliberate.
4 talked with many officers and
men Of the army while ..1l, IN France,
what We were going TO do about the
reorganization OF the army l told
them I thought we ought not to be
in a hurry but should take sufficient
time TO think over what has happened
in the war.
I am firmly convinced OF one thing
with reference TO the future military
policy OF the country and that is that
We should have universal military
training. ! believe we could without
much expense take the boys OF 1913
and give them a few months training.
then again the following year and
again when they are 21- Let Us use
our regular army officers IN training
these boys.
I don't know just how large the
regular army should be. but with the
universal military training system 10
furnish body OF trained men in the
reserve il ought TO be possible TO get
--e--- win q Yin Fe-- awe oA-a-A
army"
Praises Soldiers.
Mr.. Madden expressed himself as
being greatly impressed with the
work OF the American soldiers IN
France.
7 am convinced" he said. that II
the American army had not been able
to act Independently the war would
not have been won Some Of the
other nations wanted our soldiers to
be merged with theirs. but II that had
been carried out completely we could
not have accomplished what we did"
Demotion OF national guard officers
In France. in the opinion Of Mr.. Mad
den was not the result OF any feeling
Of animcsity or favoritism on the part
Of regular army officers. but was alb
solutely necessary IN the interest OF
the success of the American arms
Mr.. Madden stated today that he had
Investigated numerous cases OF demo-
ton OF national guard officers where
1aToritism in favor OF regular officers I
was charged and as a result OF these
Investigations found that as a gen
eral rule there was sufficient cause I
for demOtion OF officers. The process I
may have seemed cruel at times but IL {
was necessary part of the war"