Milford chronicle., 1920-03-05
THE LEGION FOR TRAINING

II the politicians thought that universal military train
ing was shelved by action Of the House Of Rep
resenatiyes Feb % they find that they will nave
to reckon with the American Legion That organization
which a membership of considerably more than mil
lion veterans and is growing in strength every
day has decided make intensive campaign for uni
versal training every Congressional district The reso
luton made the dag after the House OF Representa-
ves tried bury the issue out of sight by reference o
it TO friendly" committee not named which was 10 IN
oure into the cost and economic effects OF system oi
training report back suitable bill some time or other
But had great deal more life in it than the
tme-servers and pacfsts believed They eft
the American Legion of consideration, which was
very stupid thing in these days soon after the
war The men Of the Legion going to take of their
coats and work for the discarded remedy for unpre-
paredness. In the words Of Thomas W. Miller OF VIII
mington Del, a former member of Congress and now
Chairman Of the American Legions Military Pohcy COM
mittee:
The Legion feels that eventually the country
will realize that universal training pro-
gram with a small regular army and a National
Guard operating under the plan proposed in the
Wadsworth bill will be of less cost to the coun-
try per year than the present system of a large
regular army and a National Guard operated un-
der the National Defense act
In the straightforward and vigorous speech for univer
sal training which General Leonard made at Sioux
Falls S d. the very day that the House of Represen
put the aside, the General made a predc
ton:
Whether do it not will be left, think,
the action of the American Legion; to the men
who have been through the war, both at home
and abroad. They all entitled to equal
sideration; they know what they have gone thru
and they know what the country needs. They
soldiers any more; they have gone back to the
great civil body l think it is a great deal bet
for them to indOrse it than it is for those who
less permanently in the service, and
I think that it is of the things they will act
upon and their advice will be listened by
people.
General Wood told his audience which fairly shook
the rafer of the Coliseum with applause exactly what
universal training and his description very
different from the mtarisc picture drawn by the pol
iticians who afraid OF it. General Wood not
afraid of it, and he did weigh the of his
spokenness upon his political franker and
more intimate talk to audience at political meeting has
seldom listened to. The health and the physical, mental
and moral Improvement of young who would under
go a system Of military training in responsible hands
thoroughly American system upon there
was no misunderstanding. He spoke both medical
man and a soldier I'VE simply want" he said "the
youth of America sound, sane and strong fit build
better and ready in the
to us again to meet quickly promptly and effectively
General Woods speech should have wider circulation
for it shows him a who stands by his convic-
ons whatever the politicians may think of his style of
The American Legion has already yindi-
Gated his judgment of it. Universal training issue
promises to give the politicians trouble yet