The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-18
MINIATURE WEST POINTS


 One provisional plan at first proposed by some Army men was to draft the l8-19 year old im- mediately. Then out of the total of about l,500,000 men, some 60,- 900 to 80,000 would be sent back to the colleges to get more train- ing to become officers.
 Now, however, 1t is being urged that instead of keeping this small group of 60-80,000 men in the col leges the entire l,50000 be given a tough military, semi-educational training, using the physical equip ment of the colleges and perhaps some of the high schools.
 At present the colleges and uni- versites face a serious crisis. Tie 20, q and 22-year old men have left, and now without the IS and 19-year olds the colleges will be almost empty, except for women.
 Therefore. it has been proposed that the colleges be used in the same manner the Air Corps is using hotels in Miami, Chicago, and other cities. Housing an army is one of its biggest problems. New buildings require strategic ma terials, labor. and part of the army's own personnel. The few CT men required for housekeeping, the more effective an army is. That is why the physical equip ment of the colleges, now partially unused, could effect such a great saving. .....
 One plan would be to make each college virtually a short
 term West Point, in which the 18-l9 year Olds would get q thor ough military training, plus as much academic training as pOs- sibIe. This would mean not only improving this age group for actual combat, hut also preparing the next generation
 for better leadership after the war.
 NAZI ARMY TRAINING
 The period of training proposed by some Army leaders is one year. But if crisis in the war should arise before that time, whereby the men were needed at the front, the miniature West Point course could terminate.
 Those who propose this far sighted plan probably are in min- ority among Army leaders at the present. Some of the more con- servative generals favor throw ing the boys into the ranks more less indiscriminately.
 However, it has been pointed out that there is nothing more demoralizing than bringing men into the Army, then keep ing them marking time, never getting q chance to fight, and with no clear picture of what the war is all about. If handled carefully the 18-19 year olds may fall into this category.
 Meanwhile, it is urged by Army training specialists that the young sters can help win the war sooner if they have been given the same kind of thorough training received by the bulk of the German army. For the average German sergeant during the first year of the war was better trained than the aver age lieutenant in the British or American armies.
 Tears streamed down the face of crusading Senator George Noro- ros when he was defeated after forty years in Congress. But now that he has been reading the flood of complimentary letters received from all over the country he is glad he made the race. "If hadn't run again." says Norris, "I never would have known what people thought of me" Sem ator Tom Connally of Texas diag- noses the recent election this way: "The Democrats who opposed Roosevelt got reelected. And the Republicans who supported Roosevelt got reelected. It must pay to be independent" Sen- ator Jim Mead of New York com- plains to colleagues: 'T was the Presidents fall guy when he want ed me Co run fer governor of New York, though didn't want to