Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-08-08
UNIVERSAL TRAINING.
Baker Presents War Department Pro.

eramme to Congress.
War department recommendation fol
a system of universal military train
ing of three months for all eligible
youths in their nineteenth year has
been presented by Secretary Baker tc
the senate and house military com.
lnittee for their guidance in deter
mining the permanent military policy
Of the nation.
The proposal is contained in a bill
prepared by the general staff of the
army at the secretary's direction. Ir
transmitting the bill, Secretary Baker
in a letter said that General Pershing
had not been consulted and the plar
was tentative to that extent.
The departments bill calls for g
regular army Of 81 divisions and nec-
essary auxiliary services. with peace
strength of $4,000 enlisted men, and
a war strength of 1,25O,OO0. The re.
serves to fill up the divisions to full
strength would be provided through q
act under which the national army
was raised for the war with Ger
many.
For training purposes, only youths
in their nineteenth year would be call
ed to the colors for three month per.
iod to be attached to. regular division:
for that time. 1t is estimated that this
would provide an annual class of 600,.
900 men to be given intensive military
instruction, stripped of all vocationa
or other educational features.
For two years after training the
youths would be required to submit
certain reports giving their addresses
changes in status as to dependents
physical conditions, etc. They would
receive 81 for each report called fol
and submitted, thus encouraging the
making Of reports. In the event Of
war all men in this status would bs
called to the colors to fill up the regu-
lar divisions and compose the first re.
placement units.
The bill provides for reorganization
of the regular army in substantially
the same terms as previously recon.
mended by Secretary Baker when the
current army appropriation bill was
under consideration.
No mention of the national guar(
is made in the bill but in his letter
to the committee chairman, Secretary
Baker said he assumed that the ma.
tional defense act would be contained
in force. making the guard subject t
liberalization for war.
One feature of the universal train.
ing plan of the department is com.
plete liberalization of the registration
and induction machinery. Local anC
appeal broads would be created a:
during the war, except that compen
board officials, but no mention is made
of employing state officials or agencie:
in carrping out the project.
Youths in training would receive M
pay. but would receive payment fol
all expenses and allowances of IS {
month for incidentals. No exemp.
tions would he granted except to sol.
diers, sailors, members of the mer.
chant marine, public or private, or t
those mentally or physically deficient
To meet the case of those with de-
pendents, however provision is made
for deferring the training period.
The theory on which the bill rest
is that an army of 1,250,000 should b,
available for rapid mobilization a
need. 1t provides that the complet,
organization Of a field army of tina
size shall be maintained, the only diff
ference between peace and wartim,
footing being in the enlisted strength
The 20 infantry and one cavalry divi
sions would comprise that field army
To support the plan, general stat
officers have prepared full detailed
studies of cost, systems of mobiliza
tions. administration and all othel
features which the department is pre-
pared to submit whenever the con
gressional committees call for them.