New-York tribune., 1920-02-08
kal,r, Says Cost
OF Citizen Army
Will Not Be Bic
Military Training Will Add
Only $3.50, 600, 600 Year
to Army Expense; Called
Insurance Against War;
Preparedness Is Urged
Huge Amounts Expended
i'm Rush of Late Con
flict Given as Example

From The T,;ba~s's WosAimotom Bxrsaa
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.-Representa-
tive Julius Kahn, Of California, chair
man Of the House Military Committee
issued a statement tonight urging uni
versal military training and declaring
that it would not add to the army cost
Of the nation more than $3.50, 100000
year. He pointed out that, largely be-
cause the United States had no men
with military training aside from the
small regular army, the total cost of
the war to the United States, including
loans to the Allies, was about $33, ,0OO,-
100000, and that this represented an ex-
penditure Of $1,000, 100000 per month.
Universal military training, said Mr..
Kahn is insurance against war"
"At the cost of $130,000,000 per
annum for such insurance." said his
statement, "and remembering that the
World War cost us in nineteen months
t83 900 900 900, it would take about two
hundred years to expend the amount
required for the universal training of
youths to total the amount that this
nineteen months Of war cost US. If
we were to get into another war as
totally unprepared as we were in this
war, believe that the cost would be
Infinitely greater. The history of the
world discloses the fact that the cost
Of war constantly increases. Surely
It would be criminal folly to neglect
the lessons taught by this war.
Cost Comparison Offered
II commend this matter Of the cost
OF universal training versus the cost
Of war to the thoughtful consideration
OF my fellow countrymen."
The statement says that Congress
can within safety appropriate for an
army OF 100000 men for 1921, and cites
recruiting figures under the voluntary
to the regular army to show how diff
cult 1T would be to keep the regular
force at higher figure. Continuing,
he said:
$50 that s1,eoo per annum per man
Is fair figure of what it will cost
to maintain an army Of 100000 men
for the next fiscal year. This amount
also includes overhead. Therefore, the
appropriations for an approximate
army of 100000 individuals will cost
in the neighborhood of 1920 100000
Under the plan for universal train
ing, as proposed in the Senate bill, it
VII! cost about $34 per man per month
while he is at the camps, or total
for 100000 men of about $20,4o0. 900
per month. If the training period shall
be four months the total cost would
be $S1 100000. Say we add $50 1000 900
Tor possible contingencies and the total
cost of the training will be in the
neighborhood of $131, 100000. So that
those who stated that the cost of uni
yersal training would be about $780,
100000 per annum under the provisions
Of the Senate bill were not so far
wrong in their estimates, in my opin-
ion.
Figures on Military Expenses
"Of course we will probably have to
appropriate between $50,000,000 and
$60,000,000 for the National Guard.
"All told, the cost of the military es-
tablishment, including the cost Of train
ing, will be about s500,OO0, 0,O00."
Although Mr.. Kahn did not say 80 in
his statement, it is known he feels that
much of the opposition to universal
training comes from men who were op-
posed to the selective draft law. man
power legislation and who have been
pacitlsts and opponents generally of
1arslghted military policy.
The House committee probably will
vote on universal training provision
within the next two weeks. Mr.. Kahn
Is confident he will have a majority in
the committee.