New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-10
Senate Rejects
Universal Army
Training Plan
Votes 40 to 9 to Substitute
Voluntary System Pro-
posed by Frelinghuysen
for Committee Method
Men of Is to 28 Affected
Fight Will Be Resumed
Monday on Amendment
to Kill Whole Proposition
rro" The Tr,b1nt's Washington Bureau

From The Tribrne's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, April 9.--Opposition
to military training in any form was
evidenced in the Senate to-day when
the compulsory service provision of
the army reorganization bill was de-
feated. substitute proposing volun-
tsry enlistment for training adopted
and an amendment which would strike
the training plan from the bill en-
tirely held over for further considera-
ton.
The Senator's voted 40 TO 9 to sub
stitrte the voluntary plan proposed by
Senator Frelinghuysen. When three
days debate had demonstrated that the
compulsory plan could not command a
majority vote most of the Senators
who hac supported the compulsory
plan voted for the substitute explain
ing that they preferred the voluntary
SYSTEM to none at all.
Senator Wadsworth, chairman of
thc Military Affairs Committee. voted
against the substitute He Informed
the Senators, however, that he would
make strenuous Efforts to prevent the
elimination Of the voluntary plan from
the bill after it had been adopted
Made Party Issue
On The vote by which the Senate sub
stituted the plan for voluntary train
Ing for the compulsory plan. twenty
five Democrats and twenty-one Repub-
I:cans favored it. while seven Republi-
cAnssand two Democrats were opposed.
The nine Senators who voted against
the substitute were Senators Brande-
gee. keyes. McCumber. Moses, New,
Poindexter and Wadsworth. Republi-
cans, and Myers and Pittman, Demo-
Gratis.
Under the voluntary training plan
men from eighteen to twenty .ght
years of age could enlist for military
training, and they would then go into
military camps for four months, at the
end Of which time they would be part
Of the my reserve
Senator Chamberlain, Democrat. of
Oregon, one of The original advocates
OF universal military training. attacked
the opponents OF the 'po icy, charging
that in an effort to gain partisan adj
vantage they had dragged it into poll
tics.
Il am sorry he said, Chat this
question has been maUe a party one.
! do not see what advantage The
Democratic Senator's who are opposing
universal training expect to gain, or
are Opposing it. The Senator from
Nebraska tMr. Hitchcock and the
Senator from Tennessee (McKellar), in
their opposition, are violating the en-
pressed wish of their partys leader,
the President of the United States"
Reads Wilson's Letter
Senator Chamberlain read Presi-
dent Wilson'S letter to House Demo-
Gratis urging that universal training
be net made a party question
"Tte President is in favor Of uni
ve~sal training" continued Senator
Chamberlain His letter shows that
members Of his party here expect oy
their position. which is directlv up
posite TO his, to Get political advan
tage'
Senator Hitchcock interrupted 20
say that Senator Chan berlan had
placed Il wrong construction on the
Presidents letter.
81 was astounded," said Senator
Hitchcock, "to hear the Senator say
that the President favored universal
training. l am glad he put the Presi-
dents letter into the Record | do
not think anything in the letter justi-
fes the statement. AS I understand
tire letter. the President merely asked
the Democrats to defe- taking any
position OF tho question until after
The nat!oaal conventicn.'
- VIII read part o. il again COR the
Senators benefit. and I still in list
that NY construction Of the letter IS
right. though it is not hard fo~ the
Senator to pat his own construction
on it," replied Senator Chamberlain.
81 am going to say here. without