Evening star., 1945-06-14

kdluillS tIlc VIEWS :;
of what may be Lowell Meiiett.
called experts. The latter include
not only military men and civilian
war leaders, but educators and 9th.
ers qualified to offer opinions basee
! on study and information.
For the most part the witnesse.
have been earnest without beins
. shrill. Those who oppose compul.
. sorry training have been disposed tt
concede the sincerity and patriotic
purpose of those who favor it, ane
vice versa. One advocate of peace.
time conscription did remark that
IL college presidents who had ex.
r'pressed their opposition were talk.
Ing through their IL learned hats,
but that isn't considered violent Ian.
.guage in congressional circles.
Reasonable discussion is possible
because no one has ground fol
suspecting any one else Of selfish OF
sinister motives. The witness whe
suggested that college president.
were against the proposal for one
years training only because it would
interfere with their own business,
probably was sorry when he read, his
words in cold print next day.
q All in all, the matter Is being de-
Dated IN an atmosphere of good
ofeeling. Some simply think we will
snot be properly prepared to fight
any future enemy unless when the
time comes We can instantly call up
millions of young men who've had
previous training And some think
this simply is not true; that instead
we can always assemble and train a
first-class Army quickly without dis
locating, year after year, the lives
of millions of boys who may never
be ordered to fight.
You can listen to it all and still
remain uncertain in your own mind
It requires a lot of thinking, since
1T involves basic departure in our
whole manner of living, but pres
emily you will arrive at a firm con-
viction on one side or the other.
And what the majority of us come
to believe is what Congress is likely
to establish as the American policy,
However, it is going to take some
time for us to make up our minds
so don't look for any quick action
by Congress. ---.
This will be Disappointing to
those who already have convinced
themselves that all the good arau-
ment is on the side of adoptinr
the system that has furnished most
Of the European countries with their
armies. rt. -
Particularly disappointed will be
the military leaders who are certain
that our fighting machine in Europe
would have been better and our
losses In men less had that machine
been composed entirely Of men who
had had at least a years thorough
training before being sent over
seas. The lessons Of this: war are
80 clear; from their standpoint,
that they assume we all must see.
them. It has been their hope that
with the demonstration freshly be-
fore us we will be willing to ratify
their Judgment. In other words,
they believe this is the time-not
later, when the lessons may be for
gotten-to achieve what they re-
gard as great reform in military
policy. Quite apart from military
considerations, to give them full
credit, they believe the proposed
year Of physical training and dis
cipline will promote our national
well-being.
The resistance, however. is in
stinctive and deep, too deep to be
overcome quickly, if ever. Congress
senses this resistance and doubtless
shares it. Wherefore the patient
study being given by the present ex-
ploratory committee.
In, the meantime the delegates at
San Francisco are perfecting an