Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-29
C0MPEL.S MILITARY TWO MORE CHANGES
TRAINING FOR BOYS IN WILSON CABINET
Senate Committee Approves
Parts Of Army Bill Providing
Compulsory Courses for Young
Americans
AGE LIMITS, Is to II
Measure Also Provides for One Army
Divided into II Citizens Army and II
standing Amy Consisting Of 2SOOOO
Enlisted Men

Washington. Jan. 2e.-By vote Of to )
the Senate military committee to-day APP
proved provisions providing for com
pulsory military training for boys between
IS and q years inclusive, and ordered II
favorable report upon the army re-
Organization bill.
The compulsory military training provi-
sion which fixes the training period at
four months was opposed In the commit
tee by Senators Ienroot. Wisconsin. and
Capper Kansas, republicans. and Sena-
tors Mcclellan of Tennessee. sheppard of
Texas and Kirby of Arkansas. democrats,
Senators Wadsworth, New York; Warren,
Wyoming; Sutherland. West Virginia
New, Indiana: Frelinghuysen. New
Jersey; Knox Pennsylvania, and Spencer.
missouri, republicans. and Chamberlain.
IOregon. and Thomas Colorado, democrats,
supported it, Senator Mcclellan announced
hat he would submit n minority report in
(which number of the senators who OPP
posed the plan are expected to concur.
AS finally agreed upon the bill is vir-
|'ually the same as reported by the sub
committee, but is radically different from
the reorganization bill submitted by the
WAR department to Congress In addition
Ito establishing compulsory military train
ling. the bill provides for the establish
|ment of one army to be divided into
Ia citizens army composed of men who
| have received the compulsory training
Ia standing army consisting of $50 900 men
land 1900 officers and National Guard.
SPECIFIC provision is made in the bill
hat the citizen army cannot be called to
he colors except in case of declaration
|of war. To accommodate the reserve force
built up under the system of military
Training. provision is made in the bill for
Ian annual reduction of five per cent in
| he enlisted strength of the regular army
land two per cent in the number of en-
| listed officers for the first five years
|rhis will mean. chairman Wadsworth
Explained that at the end of five years
tine regular army will be reduced by TO-
FrO men and 1.ScO commissioned officers
(which will greatly decrease the cost of
maintaining the military establishment.
| The bill also would place all youths who
Ihave undergone the four months military
| training on the reserve list TO be subject
20 two weeks training annually. Under
ban amendment by Senator Spencer. re-
publican. of Missouri dependents of such
youths during training would receive an
allowance the same as now provided under
| he war risk insurance act
Establishment of the office of un-
'harged with the solution of the grea;
Industrial and business problems in
NolVed in the procurement of military
Supplies is provided but the committee
Ripon Secretary Bakers recommended
eliminated provisions which would
fnake General Pershing chief of staff
n place of General March, the present
hief of staff.
The bill if passed as drafted, S"ru-
or Wadsworth said tonight. viii re-
Rlucc expenditures for the military
establishment by approXimately one
lalf. Estimates for the war depart
.ment and the army for this coming
year he said are placed at G1,1O0,OO0.
poo while the proposed bill would not
equirc more than approximately
| 500, 100000 annually
senator Wadsworth said that he
would report the bill to the Senate
POSSIBLY tomorrow and would seek
% call it up for consideration at the
arliest possible moment Owing to
other measures now pending he hard
y expects to bring it up in the Senate
before next week.