New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-01-31
Senator New Of Indiana Prefers
This to Large Standing Army
ALL BETWEEN 19 AND 26
Opposes Standing Army of 100000 AS
eCessary-1Advocate Continuous
Training For Those in 18th Year
Wants Country Prepared.

washington, Jan. 29.-UniVersal, l.,
compulsory military training for
American youths as a permanent ma
tional policy is proposed in a bill in
troduced in the senate today by Sena-
tor New, of Indiana, republican. Such
q policy, the senator said in offering
the bill 'provides the only guarantee
against any occasion for the mainten-
ance' of a large regular army
Includes All Between 8 and 2e.
Training of not more than one year
for all youths between 10 and 26
Xears-limlted to one continuous
period and not divided from year to
year-is provided by the bill, which
was referred to the senate military
committee with suggestion by Sena-
tor New that it be laid before army
general staff for a report at the next
session of congress. Under the bill
all youths upon completion of the
training period, as fixed by the presi-
dent would go into a national reserve
for call in case of necessity. Priority
Of service would be placed on the
Youngest annual class.
Opposes Array OF 100000.
The plan was urged by Senator New
soon as possible. He denied that uni
versal training involves maintenance
OF a large standing army and declared
it would prevent that situation. In
this connection he opposed the war
departments plan for a temporary
domestic army of 10000 men as
neither necessary nor desirable''.
Is Method of Preparedness.
the youth who is to be conscripted
or who shall volunteer shall go pre-
pared rather than that he shall be
taken unprepared." said Senator New
1t provides the only guarante against
any occasion for maintenance Of a
regular army of greater proportion
than the country needs or is willing to
support. Under the operation of this
system the soldier is in reality a citi-
zen, free to follow his chosen voca-
ton except for the period required
for his proper training.
Need 200, 900 Capable AS Officers.
Eve should have at all times some
thing like 100000 men capable of be-
ing officers.
'Unless occasion comes the citizen
army need never be mobilized but its
accrue from judiciously applied ply
sical training, of discipline and the
improved conceptions of citizenship
that military training brings with
it."
Criticizes War Dept. Plans.
The senator explained that his
measure should be regarded only as
the nucleus for legislation rather
than fixed feature. War department
plans to extend the presidents au-
thority to hold men now in SERVICE
he predicted, will prove unpopular
with the American public.
Explains Bill i'm Detail.
Explaining his bill, Senator New
said it proposes that in training
youths they preferably should be
called for the scheduled continuous
training period in their 18th year.
Those who are sole support for par
ents, wives or children would be eX-
cused unless the government should
contribute to their dependents during
the training period. Men in training
would receive only nominal pay. The
bill also provides for commissions for
20 per cent. of the youths trained up
to the rank of major or lieutenant
commander in the national reserve.