New-York tribune., 1919-12-11
Legion Urges More
Recognition for
Citizen Officers
Small Standing Army and
Plan for Universal Train.
ing Urged by Delegation
Before Senate COMMITTEES
New Pork Tribe.ms
W6ah{3a 0toss P>,~.~.,

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-Uniyersal
military training, small standing
army and more recognition for civilian
officers were urged before the Senat.
Military Affairs Committee to-day BY
committee representing the Ameri-
can Legion.
Ihe Senate committee was consider
ing the General Staff bill for the re-
organization of the army, submitted to
Congress last session by General
March, chief of staff.
Lieutenant Allan Tukay. of Omaha
chairman of the special committee on
military policy of the American Legion.
acted as spokesman for the delegation
and read the resolution adopted bv an
Almost unanimous vote by the Legion
~ the Minneapolis convention favorinn
universal training but opposing large
standing army.
natl, commander of the 1st Ohio IN
Iantry of the 37th Division, read the
1oI!owlng statement on behalf Of the
delegation:
"The members q the American Le-
glon are deeply impressed with the
1olly OF national unpreparedncss for
war, from the results of which thew
suffered while in France. They believe
that this country should adopt policy
of universal military training for ;ts
young men as the only fair, democrat
&c and adequate system of defense.
Many Benefits Realized
"They realize the individual benefits
In Americanism and good citizenship
which would result from such training,
having been through it themselves,
they think it only fair and proper that
the generations which come after them
SHOULD share such duties and benefits
alike. They know that these benefits
far outweigh the cost and time spent
in the training.
"They believe that In this way the
country can maintain for its defense a
citizen army which will be adequate for
any national emergency. They are
strongly opposed to militarism or the
fostering. OF any military caste. They
believe that the regular army should |
be reduced to the lowest numbers for
sary professional duties; that our Cen
eral Staff should be liberalized by an |
admixture of competent citizen officers. |
and that all officers should be subject |
to severe tests of fitness, which would |
eliminate all dead wood.
Training by Citizen Officers
"They believe that this citizen army
should be trained so far as possible by |
citizen officers and it's units localized |
in the territory from which they come,
but that it must be trained solely as a |
national army, under authority of the
national government, for use only in
time of war. and that the men must not
be used to fill up the regular army"
Senator Wadsworth asked Colonel
Galbraith If he considered the War De-
sound military practice.
~ do not" replied Colonel Galbraith. |
"The result would be to train man
establishing any dehnits re-
sponsibility for him In the future"
Senator Chamberlain, Of Oregon, one
of the original promoters Of universal
service, said he thought that the pro-
posal to create citizen army would be
defeated by the present Congress.
Colonel Henry L. Stimson, former
Secretary of War, spoke briefly in fa- |
vor Of universal training. He was par
ticularly impressed, he said, with the
Of the 77th Division, with which he had
served during the war. These men had
had no previous military training, he
stated, and the course Of military in
given them during the war
had a remarkable upbuilding effect on
their characters, particularly in prov
ing manliness and sense Of re-
sponsibility.