The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-08-04
WOULD COMPEL YOUTHS TO TAKE
 ARRAY TRAINING
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(Continued from Page One-) which would be merged with the en- gineers' corps.
 Three months military training for youths of 19 would be made compul- sorry and promotion of officers by seniority would be abolished. Secre- tary Baker said the war had shown this system of promotion to de defec- tive.
 washington, Aug. No change in tie Casting Jaw with regard lo the o- e ea..4.-..Io.4 vA LAe ->a.IonaI Guo.1. s.-A.. its teIal-Ou Lo tI-1 AesuA~ "tAIAJ wass ussesteu. MT. Maner said it was .rssdilieu .4la1 tne AAt4ona4 ueIeuce s.cl Ieueral41Ing the 6uaru wou4u be retained in force.
 Under the War Departments plan, youths would be subject to military service for two years after complet- ing the course of military training and in the event of war the selective service act in force during the great war would become operative.
 Secretary Baker said in a letter ac- companying the bill that the plan had not yet been referred to General Per shing, but that pending his return from France it could be used as the bass for hearings which the Senate Military Committee is to have before drafting legislation establishing a permanent military policy.
 The bill as drawn" said Secretary Baker. ''provides for a system of uni versal training for a brief period ap- pllcable to all male citizens with suit able provision for exemptions and de- ferments
 TT does not. however. provide for any reserve obligation, since it is un- constitutional with system of uni Versal service in time of emergency The period suggested for training is brief, but not too brief, it is believed to secure a careful stock taking of the health and physical condition of the young manhood of the nation and the institution of such remedial measures as may be practical, not too brief to initiate the habits Of orderliness CO., ordination and self care which proved so valuable in the recent training of men preparing for active military ser vice. Nor is this period believed too brief to entail great advantage to the country should any future emergency require it to call for service.
 Regarding the chemical warfare service, MT. Baker wrote:
 The work appropriate to be done by the chemical warfare service in peace times ought, in my judgment, to be carried on in the engineers de- partment and should consist of such research and preparation as would enable our army always to defend it. self against the aggressive use of chemical weapons and to overnatch any adversary in offensive operations should they be used against us."
 The secretary also proposed that the Inspector Generals department be abolished, saying 1t was clear that the insection of purely military train ing ought to be centralized and car ried out under the direction of the training division of the general staff.
 Tt will be observed" MT. Baker continued that the bill suggests no change in the existing law with re- gard to the organization of the na- iooal guard and it's relation to the regular army. It is assumed the na- tional defense act federaliZing the guard will be retained in force and that if any readjustment of it's rela- tions to the regular army is desired, it will be suggested in the hearing"