The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-01-14
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
DOWNRIGHT 1921.

tNpcclai ljeSpdLCn 10 hc lSe1oLHAS4'(
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-Congress
is considering the cutting down of the
standing army to 10000 men. and this
means that a surplus of about 10000 men
would have to be honorably discharged
when their enlistment expires, n while
normally the h~uctuation in the size of the
United States army is not Il matter of
general concern, there are indications of
widespread disappointment among the
young men who had been rushing into the
array to get the benefits of the educational
system.
From practically every army corps area
IN the United States has come word of
the success of the educational and voca-
tional training system which has been in
operation for about a year. Enlisted grad
mates of commercial courses are serving
a instructors and clerks in many posts,
graduates of printing schools are earning
since their separation from the service
good wages in the printing trades and en-
listed men who have studied agriculture
and tractor work are finding many oppor-
tuntieS TO make good use of their training.
1t is a safe bet that the educational Sys-
TEN NlOltttt III liit amy HAS tBtAtt I stay
and that it is the first time the peace-time
army has had something so attractive to
offer that recruiting has been an easy
~a~k. The big question is how far the
United States government should provide
educational opportunities for the many
boys who want the military life as we'll.
Either the cutting down of the army to
11J.OOO men will mean some plan whereby
enliStmcutS are accepted for q year and
no longer, or else the regulars who have
been in the service for years will nave
to be encouraged to seek honorable dis
charges. so as to make way for the young
SterS desiring vocational and general edu-
cation
Commenting on the educational system.
Major General Liggett of the ninth corps
area at San Francisco writes: "Educa
ton is a necessity vocational training is
a necessity. Recreation Is a necessity.
The present scheme of operation has
proven, by obtaining definite results, that
the program of educational and vocational
training and recreation can be success
fully carried out in the army"
Mai. Gen. {. L. Summcrail. commands
ing general at Camp Dix. New JerSeys
writes: The only way by which any one
can understand the magnitude and the
far-reaChing value of education and req
%reation to the army and TO the country is
to visit the classes and the shops and see
the attitude and the progress of the stu
dents, and the devoted zeal of the teach
tlS- W men tNR nfSJ DIVISION Wen to
Camp Zachary Taylor in the last days of
September. 1919, it carried several thou
sands of the veterans who had borne the
hradshipS and %privatiOnS of campaign and
battle and who. by their courage, loyalty
and fortitude had contributed TO the vic
tory that brought honor to our country.
All had the development of manhood and
character that could come only from self
sacrifice and the ordealS through which
they had passed. They were approaching
the end of their enlistment and were des-
tined to return to civil life without any
skilled trade or profession commensurate
with their intelligence, character and ex-
perience. Indeed. they could secure onIy
the lowest class of labor with the smallest
remuneration. They found themselves
sadly out-diStanced by men of inferior
type. who had remained home and ac-
quired both skill and prosperity in the
industrial world. The Injustice was So
great that we at once endeavored to give
as many of them as possible a start in
some trade through the courses of i~nstruc-
ton in the vocational schools. 1t was not
uncommon to see men with four service
stripes and two wound stripes in a class
learning for the first time the elements of
reading, writing and arithmetic. Their
country had allowed them to grow up i'm
ignorance, but they had repeatedly offered
their lives for it in battle in order that
the ideals of this same country might en-
dure."
Maj. Gen. J. G. Harbord, commanding