Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-05-19
AMERICAS NEW ARMY.

The half million standing army, which always has
Teen the basis of the war departments plans for per-
lament military establishment, doomed according to
latest views of capable observers at Washington In
if sentiment of members fairly indicative of what
congress will do it will be rather surprising if
army of a quarter of a million in authorized.
he maximum is much more likely be 49, 900 than
ae middle figure, it is said
Just what the members OF the house military affairs
Committee will bring back from France in the way OF
remains to be Representative Julius Kahn
hartman of the committee, who is committed to a
odification of the Swiss system wont until the
of this week The other members the committee
just reached American soil They probably will have
ideas for permanent policy as result of
her conferences with the general staff of the A. EFF
But if the proposal should be the five hundred thous
hd for the regular army that the general staff
Washington has been advocating, it will be sat hard
congress- regardless what the military experts ad-
1t may all be a reaction from the war and
conditions, but returning members of congress say
is question of how the folks back home feel
ward the army problem They divided on the ques-
on of universal training but they aren't the size of
regular army That must be small the people at home
y according to the returning members and it is this
ntiment which is certain to doom anything than
merely temporary force large half million men
Even senators who had stood out for years in favor
large standing army known have modified
eir vews, according to reports of the
ntiment, and plan military legislation on the lines
Strengthening the national guard system and possibly
lpplementing it with CT universal training
rong national guard legislation certain Over any
UNIVERSAL training bill there will be fight Secretary
aker is known has opposed any suggestion of univer
training legislation for the time being But both mem
ars of the general staff here and returning members
Pershings general staff will be called to congress tc
i've their views independent of how Baker feels about
TIE old lineup univ ersal training has changed
Two factors have weakened the fight for univer
! training.
1t is claimed that with majority of the men trained
soldiers inside of three to six months in the presen
ar once they got officers to handle Them no ong pc
Cd of training service would be of great value to tn
ilitary strength of the country
1t is argued too, that with Europe dropping con
ripton it is time for the United s. to take it III
On TIE other hand advocates of universal tranin
~ the value in citizenship and physical improvement
some military training has been demonstrated beyon
ny dispute in the millions of young being returne
their homes in better condition in every way tina
ey ever were in their lives
Right now the general staff is said to be working
compromise based somewhat on the Swiss system wher
cry young his twentieth year put in sixty
ven days in military training and then follow this u
it'll thirteen days for years is recognize
lat the system would have to be modified to meet tn
onditions of American life differing from that of swift
and Such plan though would make the national guar
n integral part of the system
It is significant that every suggestion for any for
universal training is coupled with using it wit
re national guard system far possible Before tt
ar the regular army advocating universal trainin
its calculations practically wiped the national
ystem out Now it is realized that from legislatiy
standpoint the national guard the strongest factor in