New-York tribune., 1919-08-08
Gen. March Urge. sena,.
Committee toRecommend
Bill providing Universal
Training for Boys of 10
Wants 100000 Regular.
Against Compulsory Ser.
vice. Which Would Per.
nit Using Young Draf.ee,
Anywhere
New Yors T,ibur.
NGshtn Jtora Bnrea.

.Neu fors TviburA
WGshin Jtorl F3uysn.
WASHINGTON, Aug. Nine hun.
dred million dollars year would \.
the cost to the government OF maxim.
effective the permanent military pol;c,
recommended to Congress by see,..
tary Of War Baker
General March. chief oe staff ,,v.
these figures to the Senate Mili.a,v
Affairs Committee TO- day He strono,,
urged that the General StaT's recon.
mcndation FOR system O. univers.,
military training for boys Of nineteen
be carried out.
Training $4,000 boys a year upd.,
the system recommended would co..
s94 ,066, 500, he said A standing arnv
Of 100000 men to form the skeleton =,
a great military machine into which .bs
trained civilians would be drawn !,
case of an emergency would cost s7ss.
$50. 900
There are two schools Of thought IN
the army, General March revealed. one
strongly contending for compulsory
military service and the other FOR
system of universal military training
The difference between the TWO sys.
TENS was, he explained. that under
compulsory service the men N trairinv
could be sent anywhere at the direction
OF the President without reference "a
Congress, while under the universal
training system the men could not be
used except upon explicit direction by
Congress.
Against Compulsory Plan
The compulsory service system was
"unamerican and milifar site he
said. The other was democratic. and
after il had been IN effect for couple
Of years would permit the United States
TO mobilize 100000 men for offensive
or defensive military action almost
overnight.
Senator johnson of California indi.
Gated his opposition % the general
staff plan. but all other members Of
the committee seemed favorablv in
pressed by il. Many Of them expressed
doubt, however. that the people would
sanction so large a standing army as
was proposed. and asked f the reg
ular organization could not be Gu.
down to $50 600 or 300. 600 men. Cen
eral March thought any such action
would be very unwise.
you are bringing Us here perma.
nent military policy dictated by con.
ditions as YOU see them today. when
the world Is in chaos" Senator John
son said.
"Of course" General March agreed.
this policy is based on present day
conditions. but II is one that regular
army officers have wanted for a long
time.
ITO this permanent policy YOU an
mex plan for universal military ser
vice that may bring the army IN to
2 100000 men. Now what is the neces-
slty for so large an army 90
Peace Issue Embarrassing
You are bringing up question that
goes to the root Of the whole thing.
If we want to 60 back 10 the condi-
tons that existed before the war then
none Of this is necessary # we want
to be prepared to meet the army OF
any power or of any combination Of
powers that may be brought against
US we must have some such policy as
this."
Docs universal peace then bring
with II the necessity for universal
training - Senator Johnson inquired
What | can't fathom is why. when we
are facing an era of universal peace,
We need an army larger rhan ever
before"
General March appeared TO be en-
barrassed. He did not answer.
If you'd rather NOT bo examined on
that I'll pass the question" Senator
Johnson said finally
General March made j. clear n later
testimony that 'intornatioral politics
had not been taken INTO account by the
Genera staff in framing IT'S recon-
mcndation for military policy Il had
desired TO get the very best plan for
complete military preparedness, he
said
Military experts IN Ftance had pre-
pared bill embodyinc a permanent
policy. General March told the
committee. but this bill had failed 70
secure his approval. or that of General
Pershing. He did not say what this
bill contained, but indicated that It
provided for system of compulsory
service.