The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-08-08
BAKER RECOMMENDS
UNIVERSAL TRAINING
Calls for 21 Divisions and Auxiliaries
With Strength Of $4,000
Men.

"
tary Baker today to the senate and
house military committees Tor their
guidance in determining the rerman-
ent military policy of the nation.
The proposal is obtained in a bill
prepared by the general staff of the
army at the secretary's direction. In
transmitting the bill, Secretary Ba-
ker, in letter, said that General
Pershing had not been consulted and
the plan was tentative.
Provisions of the Bill.
The departments bill calls for a
regular army of twenty-one divisions
and necessary auxiliary services, with
peace strength of $4,000 enlisted
men, and a war strength of 1,250,-
900. The reserve to fill up the divis-
ions to full strength would be pro-
vided through modified form of the
selective service act under which the
national army was raised for the war
with Germany. For training pur-
poses, only youths in their nineteenth
year would be called to the colors for
a threemonth period, to be attached
to regular divisions for that time. 1t
is estimated that this would provide
an annual claim of 100000 men to be
given intensive military instruction,
stripped of all vocational or other ed
ucational features.
For two years after the training
the youths would be required to sub
nit certain reports giving their ad-
dresses, changes in status as to de-
pendents, physical condition, etc.
They would receive 81 for each re-
port called for and submitted, thus
encouraging the making of reports.
In the event of war, all men in this
status would be called to fill up reg
ular divisions and compose the first
replacement units.
For Reorganization.
The bill provides for reorganiza-
ton of the regular army in substan-
tally the same terms as previously
recommended by Secretary Baker
when the current army bill was under
consideration.
No mention of the National Guard
is made in the bill, but in his letter
to the committee, Secretary Baker
said he assumed that the national de-
tense act would be continued in force
making the guard the subject to fed
eralization for war.
One of the features of the universal
training plan of the department is
complete liberalization Of the regis
tration and induction machinery.
Local and appeal boards would be
created as during the war, except
that compensation at $40 day is
provided for board officials but no
mention is made of employing State
officials or agencies in carrying out
the project.
Expenses and Allowances
Youths in training would receive
no pay, but would receive payment
for alb expenses and an allowance Of
SIS a month for incidentals. No ex-
emptions would be granted except to
soldiers, sailors, members of the mer-
chant marine, public or private, or to
those mentally or physically deficient.
To meet the case of those with de-
pendents, however, provision is made
for deferring the training period.
Theory on which the bill rests is
that an army of l,250,O0O should be
available for rapid mobilization at
need. It provides that the complete
organization of field army of that
size shall be maintained, the only
difference between peace and war
time footing being in the enlisted
strength.
The twenty infantry and one cav
airy divisions would comprise the
field army.
To support the plan, general staff
officers have prepared full detailed
studies of cost, systems Of mobiliza-
ton, administration and all other fea-
lures which the department is pre-
pared to submit whenever tie con-
gressional committees call for them.
A little Hebrew from Harlem was