Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-02-18
Hutchins Denounces
Universal TRAINING
As 'Saber Rafting

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Terming universal military train
ing absurd" Chancellor Robert M
Hutchins of the University of Chi
cago today called for an end to "un-
American saber rafting"
First witness as the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee resumed
hearings on the training proposal
advocated by President Truman, DR.
Hutchins declare America S
strength must lie in the intelli-
gence and spirit of our people"
This intelligence and spirit must
be devoted TO producing a world
which can stay at peace" the edu-
Gator testified. "If all efforts in that
direction fail, we must, with forti-
tude, bear the consequences and
defend the remnants of our country
as best we can"
Universal military training, he
added, would be the most useless
of all forms of preparation"
Education Called Best Move.
From the standpoint of defense
survival and reconstruction in ar
atomic age, DR.. Hutchins said, the
best expenditures would be on Eek
pansion of education among al
Americans, young and old, until al
OF us were united in a common
understanding and all OF us ha6
developed to the maximum and po-
tential character and intelligence
we were born with" He added
This Is also the best way tt
beat war, for it Is start toward
the formation of that world COM
munity which is our only hope. II
is insane, when we have just par
ticipated in the establishment Of
a world organization, to proclaim
the futility OF it by announcing
that we are going to base oul
plans for peace on our own over
whelming military strength. We
blast and betray the only hope we
have. -
Scores Saber- Rafting.
THE time has come to stop this
silly, un-American saber rafting
and get down to the task of laying
the foundations of peaceful world.
DIR. Hutchins said there sis no de-
Tense against the atomic bomb" and
asserted that since I'VE cannot beat
the atomic bomb we must
beat war"
Survivors of an atomic bomb at
tack, he said, would not need mill
tary training. but would need scien-
tific, industrial, perhaps plumbers
and electricians training"
Before the Chicago educator testi-
fed, Chairman May Of the Military
Affairs Committee put deadline OF
the hearings, indicating he will refer
the controversial matter to a sub
committee at the end of this week
Mr.. May set aside the entire week
to hear opponents Of President Tru-
mans plan to require every able
bodied male youth to take military
training.
And then the hearings will end,
he said.
Philip La Toilette, former Cover
nor Of Wisconsin, and representa-
tives of the Federal Council OF
Churches of Christ in America, will
be heard tomorrow.
Scheduled to testify later in the
week are the National Farmers I'm
ion, the CLIO United Automobile
Workers and the National Associa-
ton for the Advancement of Col
ored People.
Compromise Indicated.
Mr.. May said he hoped the COM
mittee would dispose of the legisla-
ton before Congress is faced with
a decision on extending the draft
act beyond May Is, when it expires
While there is strong committee
sentiment against compulsory mill
tary training in peacetime, there are
indications of compromise which
would call for four months of train
ing supplemented by National Guard
or ROTC work in home environ
ment. Such compromise has been
by the American Legion.
Army spokesman, who have all but
abandoned the fight for one year of
continuous training, have said the
Legion plan would be acceptable to
the armed forces.
Even that plan, they fear, will face
an uphill fight in Congress.