South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-31
RETURNING MEN
AGAINST PLAN
Discharged Soldiers Do Not
Favor Universal Training
Scheme of MiIitariStS.
BY JOHN JoARsON.

greater number OF returning sol
diers are not ready 20 support any
plan for military training in this
country. Notwithstanding they are
proud they had the opportunity 10
serve and did serve when called up
on and that they are ready 20 testify
that the service assisted them in
many respects. they contend every
effort should be made 20 have this
nation resume its paths OF peace and
not enter upon any system Of mill
tarism.
Sen. Harry s. New Of Indiana has
been placed again upon the senate
committee on military affairs IL is
one OF the committees which the
senator is especially fond because
during the war IL gave him wonder
fIi opportunity 10 carry on behind
doors Investigations. But more
than anything else. his activity on
this committee brought him 10
place where ne had one great op-
pOrtunity for prominence through
the introduction OF his bill for mill
tary training.
The stories told by the returning
Sen. New and also TO Gen. Leonard
Wood, prominent now as a possible
candidate for the nomination for
the presidency, with Gov. Goodrich
as his running mate, Gen. Wood,
Ike Sen. New. is a strong advocate
OF a system OF military training.
Prefers Civil Life.
The soldier wants more than any
thing else 10 get back 10 his work
as a civilian and TO be permitted TO
20 on in the civilian career which
ne mapped out for himself Any
system OF military training which
carries with il a proposal to take
the young man away from his civil
Ian career for even a period of six
months or a year will not get much
support from these men. They are
not willing TO sacrifice more time
unless the nation calls upon them
for actual service and are ot will
ing 10 have their younger brothers
called upon to make such a sacri-
nee.
Sen. New is expected 10 continue
totpress the bill 10 bring about such
system despite the contentious of
the H0AuAttS AoA ne IL AADN AttbEAAAAEA
as the earnest champion Of such
scheme-in fact the most earnest
champion OF IL in the senste. He
Will soon have an occasion 10 test
thv strength OF his theories. There
is a possibility the soldiers may
themselves put a stop TO such a bill,
however.
Generally speaking. the men who
entered the service through the ma
tional guard want the guard restor-
ed 10 its former status, as Sec'y of
War Baker suggests. They want
only that some provision be made
I relieve the guard of doing strike
duty as this work is not pleasant
10 them and is the only work which
caused the guard to be misjudged
by some laboring men. If NV and
hi associates Will seek 10 have the
guard restored and protected from
doing strike duty" their efforts
will be much more pleasing 10 the
average returning soldier.
I. is pointed out by men who are
not connected with the regular
army that generally speaking it was
the national guard divisions and the
u4N 4S4Ol1 VI VI aAAth men All0t AtdAlA
distinguished themselves in the
hghting The regular army men
with military training did nothing
that was not accomplished with just
as great degree of skill and courage
by the drafted men who had had
only few months of preliminary
training before they were sent
abroad.
Danger to uture.
The most general argument found
against News policy If forcing the
young men 10 enter scheme of
military training, however, is that
there is danger that once entered
upon. such a policy eventually will
grow until a boy just entering upon
hi manhood viii be taken away
Z ON civilian life for "a year or more
than a year.
The boys as rule would rather
ag-ee 10 attend drill once every two
weeks or even once a week for two
years and so to a camp for one or
two weeks each year as under the
olo guard system than be taken
away from their civilian work for
six months or a year" said one Of
EttI5 " no saw service IN most OF the
great engagements in which the
American boys participated.
They do not want 10 have the
nation call upon them just at the
moment they have decided upon
careers and have shaped their lives
10 be successful i'm the careers they
have chosen. They can attend the
night drills and not interfere with
their civilian work and their EN-
p.oyers as a -ule Will give them
leave OF absence while in camp.
The only opposition on the guard
system is the demand which might
come TO do strike duty. That Is dis
pleasing 20 the men. We talked 90
them a great deal about the future
military policy IN This country
They are against military training
as generally understood.
TWO INSTANTLY KILLED
WHEN HIT BY TRAIN