Evening star., 1947-07-07
Opposition Launches
Attacks on Training
Plan al House Heariino
BY ths Associefsd p,es.

Vic opp0SlCl0n s at
tack on universal training J.
Henry scattergood of Philadel-
phia told the House Armed sery-
ices Committee today it would be
an acknowledgment of lack of
faith in the United Nations.
During several past hearings. the
committee has heard witnesses sup
norting the plan recommended bv
President Trumans special commits
sion.
Universal training also was as
sailed yesterday by g, group of 20
cersons, most of them educators or
churchmen. They characterized the
plan as PAT of sn arms race theory
that would bring on "a titanic show
Down with Russia
Mr.. Scattergood, businessman
representing the Greater Phils-
delphis Committee Against Feace-
TINA Conscription. declared the
United Nations rs still the hope and
must be the preponoersnt purpose
or humanity"
Held Proof Of Distrust.
Should the United States embark.
for the first time in it's history on
universal training program in
oeacetime, he said, other nations
would interpret it as proof that
We finally and unequivocslly don't
trust them, and that we are, in fact,
expecting and preparing for the
fnal human catastrophe, that we
cannot offer any hope to the world
that we still believe in the posi-
bility OF world cooperation through
the United Nations"
Mr.. Scattergood listed these rea-
sons why members of his organiza-
lion oppose universal training and
"a permanently enlarged military
establishment in this country:
Il. They feel that compulsory
military training in peacetime will
result in an unavoidable FREEDOM
inanee of the military in our Gov
ernment and political life, and that
This influence, combined with the
enormous cost of such program,
will threaten our whole American
economic and social structure.
Cites Need for Co-Operstio
2. They want American boys
trained to be outstanding citizens
who think for themselves in terms
OF democracy. self-discipline, liberty
peace and world brotherhood, not
trained TO be units in a military
machine who think in terms of
authoritarian di"cipiine, rule by
force, or threat of force, war, fear
snd oistrust of other members OF the
world community of nations.
3. They recognize that security
no longer possible on q. national
leyel-can be assured through inter-
national cooperation: that world
competition in military strength.
which inevitably leads to war, now
threatens to ennihilste civilization
as we know it.
a. They believe real security, can
be attained by g. positive, courageous
American policy of Strengthening
the United Nations by replacing the
current bases of unilatersl compe-
rition and mutual distrust with an
1,ncompromising example Of moral
leadership.
Survival Up TO Statesmen.
IS. They believe that extraor-
binary cooperation and q spirit OF
service to q world community will
paw better dividends in security,
welfare and permanent world peace
than our present committed path
of unilstersl competitive ornaments
and perpetuation of a system OF
power based on suspicion. distrust
and a csps city for cha otic oestruc-
ton
The problems that face us are
suddenly no longer problems within
the field of our military experts if
we are TO survive" he said. "Ou
survival now most urgently depends
on the Imagination and creative
scilitv of the worlds statesmen
Asks Rejection Of Report.
Signers of the joint statement is
sued Yesterday by the group of 20 in
cluoed Josephus Daniels, Secretary
of the Navy in World War I: DR..
Robert M. Hutchins, chs ncellor of
the University Of Chicago; the Rev.
William j. Miller, S. j., president
of the University of Detroit, ano
Senator johnson, Democrat, Of
Colorado.
They urged rejection of the re-
cent report of PRESIDENT Truman's
Commission on Universal Training
saying it is based on an imphed
assumption that war with Russia
within a decs de or Two is inevitable" I"
-, The commissions argument that
weakness causes war and the United
States must be in a position "to lead
from strength" wss characterized
as "a Jrite and unoelieyably childish
oyersimplificstion of history"
Cycle of Wars Seen.
The group Of 20 said history shows
that >rhe great heavily armed ma
tions" have gone down to destruc-
tion Through exhaustion OF their
economic resources end their man
power end become caught in cycle
of wars with other nations equally
Infatuated with the idea OF pilins
Up armaments.
Other signers OF the declaration
were: Francis l.. Bacon. chairman
Educational Policies Commission
National Education Association;
James G.. Patton. president OF the
National Farmers Union; Philip
Morrison. physicist and atom scien-
fist: Henry I. Hartman, past presi-
cent of the United States Chamber
OF Commerce: Allan p. Farrell, S. j..
acting editor of America; Rufus c.
Harris, president of Tulane Uni
versity in New Orleans: Rabbi Fer
dinand Issermsn of st. Louis, former
officer in the Central Conference OF
American Rabbis, and Paul E
Sherer, Lutheran clergyman. pro-
fessor at Union Theological Semin-
scv, New York City.
Also Charles S. johnson, presi-
dent OF Fisk University, Nashville
Bishop Ellwood Haines, Episcopal
CLERGYMAN, Davenport, Iowa; Ralph