The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-02-05
NO UNIVERSAL
TRAINING NOW
House Leaders Determined
to Avoid Expensive Mill
tary System
MAXIMUM PEACE
FORCE OF 275,OOO
Floor Leader Mondell Thinks Such an
Army Costing SAYS, 100000 a Year
Is Sufficient = Universal Training
Would Cost 100000 600.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-Republican
house leaders, determined to keep down
expenditures so as to make another loan
unnecessary, have decided that there
shall be small sized. army and that
universal military training shall be eli
minated from the military bill. They
say that the country, in present state
of finances, is opposed to expanding
$70O,000,000 a year for compulsory
training, or about $1,125,000,000 to
maintain an army with compulsory
training in operation.
Representative F. W. Mondell, Re
publican floor leader, is. leading the
opposition to compulsory training, and
indications are that even though the
committee should report military bill
containing provision for compulsory
training, it would be defeated in the
house.
In speech in the house Mr.. Mondell
renewed his opposition to uni
yersal training and the applause indi-
Gated that he had struck popular note
when he opposed the proposition at
this time on the plea of economy.
"The secretary of wal has recon-
mended an army of $4,000 men, to cost
nearly 100000 00," said Mr.. Mon
dell Nobody outside of the general
staff and the administration is consid-
ering any such establishment. The
committee of the house and senate are
likely to provide for a regular estab-
lishment somewhere between 225,000
and 275,0O0 officers and men, line and
staff. At the present cost this would
involve appropriations of from $425,
100000 to $475,000,000. This force
could not be reduced by any system of
military training. The tendency would
be to increase it, as | have suggested
A system of universal compulsory mill
tary training, such as has been proposed
would cost at least $T00,000000 pei
year, after the first year.
"Add to this the cost o. the regular
establishment at the lowest figure sug
gested, $425,000,000, and we have to
tai of s1,125 900, 900 as the lowest an
nual cost of moderate, regular estab
| llHHHleHI anu sNSleIl VI universal, COlll
pulsory military training such as is pro
posed. without taking into consideration
the expenditure of at least $500, 100000
! TO prepare the camps for the system
of training.
i ''This estimate is, however, much be
low the cost of the regular establish
ment proposed by the bill now befor,
the senate and the universal, compul
sorry military training system which i
provides. The regular military estab
liShment provided for in that bill. with
out any military training whatever, vii
cost at least $600,000,000 Add to thi
$700,000000 as the cost of the univer
sal compulsory military training sys
tenn which that bill provides and W
have total cost of $1,300,000,000 a
the minimum cost of the military pro
gram outlined in the senate bill
"This total is much more than on
entire average annual federal expend
itures for all purposes prior to our en
try into the European war. At tim
when, on the basis of present estimate
we are facing a deficit of nearly So
| 000,000.000 such expenditures are, {
course, unthinkable As no one antiC
ipates putting any kind of trainin
| system into operation at this time, thel
is no reason why the matter should /
determined upon one way or anotht
until we shall find ourselves in bette
financial condition. -