Evening star., 1946-12-29
7 Senators Denounce.
Universal Training as
Advisory Group Meets
BY the Associoied Press

- Nlllnll LaoF AcOA y NOiiiN
mission weighed the impact Of SCI
entific warfare on proposals for uni
versal training yesterday. as two
influential Democratic Senators
termed the plan outdated.
Senators Thomas, Democrat, OF
Utah and Johnson, Democrat, Of
Colorado. assailing oose-stepping'
in a mechanical age. announced IN
separate interviews that they will
fight any system Of compulsory mill
tary training offered in the new
Congress.
The commission which President
Truman named to work out recon-
mendations met behind closed doors
at the White House with DR.. Vanne-
var Bush, director Of the Office Of
Scientific Research and Develop
ment, and War Department repre-
sentatives.
1t issued statement afterward,
saying that DR.. Bush, by invitation,
presented his views on the. future
chronological possibilities and re-
quirements for national security and
their implications regarding univer-
sal training
Manp0Wer Needs Described.
War Department officials. meet
ing for second time with the COM
mission. described the nanpower
requirements for performing the
present and probable future duties
of the Army and described the role
of universal training from the War
Departments point of view in con-
tributing the foundation for meeting
these future manpower needs"
The commission will meet again
January 3. 1t expects to complete
its findings in March.
The Tnomas-Jonnson statements
pointed up some Democratic oppo-
sition to Mr.. Truman's plans for a
broad program OF training on the
eve of the conyening of Republic
can-dominated Congress.
Senator Thomas, chairman of the
Senate Military Affairs Committee
throughout the war, said he will op-
pose any plan that would force
American. youths to serve six or
nine months as ground soldiers"
Says Big Lessons Overlooked.
A college professor before he en-
tered politics, Senator Thomas said
any universal plan for training a
great mass of men overlooks the
major lessons from the recent
"mechanized warfare" with its SCI
entists and specialists.
Senator Johnson, ranking Demo-
cratic member of the Military Com
mittee. previously protested that the
plan would delegate the spiritual
and moral training of American
youth to the brass hats" of the
Army and Nav.
AS a result, Senator johnson re-
ported. ne mas recsived a food Of
mail and kilograms from all over
the country applauding his stand.
In this age. goose-stepping and
the manual of arms are pure poppy
cock which adds nothing to our ma
tional defense" Senator johnson
commented. "One chemist or one
physicist is more valuable to our
defenses than are 10000 foot
soldiers
Leaders of the War and Navy
Departments have urged that every
youth receive six months of basic
training on becoming 18 years old.
This would be supplemented by six
months or year of detailed train
ing later to provide Citizens re-
serve"
Previous Bill Died.
The previous Congress allowed
legislation for a universal military
training program to die in the
House Military Affairs Committee
after intermittent hearings.
Senator Thomas said any uni
versal" or compulsory training
plan would reach out for nearly
100000 able-bodied young men
each year and take many of them
"at time they most need for educa-
ton
ut would take out lot of people
who would like to be studying as
engineers, doctors, scientists and
many other professions on volur-
tary basis" the Senator said. In
stead of any such mass plan we
should be doing our utmost to try
and provide equal opportunities for
education as the first move to really
make this country strong
The Reserve Officers Association
announced its support of universal
training yesterday 1t called at the
same time for unification of the
armed services and for special leais-
lation to eliminate what it called
inequitable treatment of Army and
Navy reservists, as compared with
regulars.
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