Evening star., 1948-01-19
Il Leaders Denounce
Universal Training as
Peril 10 Free Nation

The battle against universal mill
tary training took on renewed vigor
today as a committee Of 81 scientists,
educators, religious leaders and
others attacked "the present trend
toward military control over Ameri-
can Life and institutions"
Albert Einstein; Ray Lyman Will
bur, former Secretary Of the Inter
Tor; Dorothy Garfield Fisher, Ar
thur Morgan, first chairman of the
Tennessee Valley Authority, and the
Rev. William j. Millor, S. j., presi-
dent of the University of Detroit,
were among those warning that the
Army and Navy have unduly ex-
tended their influence into science,
education, industry and labor.
A 32-page report, "The Militariza-
ton of America" noted that mill
tary men are moving into key posi-
tions "in the State Department,
other Government offices and the
diplomatic corps. Military inf1u-
ence, moreover, is reaching into
schools and into organizations such
as the Boy Scouts. the 81 signers
declared.
Military Men Listed.
The report, distributed here by
the National Council Against Con-
scription, listed the following as
among present or former military
men holding positions directly af-
fecting American foreign affairs:
Secretary Of State Marshall, Ad-
miral William D. Leahy, President
Truman's chief of staff; Brig. Gen
Marshall 8. Carter, Secretary OF
state MarshalIs assistant; 1t. Gen
Lucius D. Clay, American military
governor in Germany; Gen. Mac
Arthur in Japan; Admiral Kirk
Ambassador to Belgium, and 1t
Gen. Walter Bedell Smith, Ambas-
sador to Russia. -
Military influence has spread tt
the Boy, Scouts largely through
agreements whereby IL Air Force
liaison officers have been designated
to develop the Air Scout program
the group stated. 1t also called at.
tention to Navy and Coast Guaro
cooperation with the Sea Scouts
and the use of Boy Scouts in dis
tributing posters and serving as
messengers in Air Force recruiting
programs.
Meanwhile, universal military
training was indorsed by DR.. Frank
Diehl Fackenthal, acting president
of Columbia University, in state
ment issued by the National Security
Committee.
The committee, headed by former
Supreme Court Justice Owen Rob-
erts, previously indorsed universe!
military training and other recon-
mendations in a civilian advisory
groups report last May to President
Truman suggesting an "integrateo
national security program" Ine
committee stated today that Or
Fackenthal completely Endorsed thai
program, as have presidents OF q
other colleges. =. e
Further Controlsseen.
"rhe Army is plannsAg for ever
greater military contxM over sn
American people," he reposl
of the anti-conscription groul
charged. "The proposal for mill
tary training would, according u
Col. Edward A. Fitzpatrick dns :
published article of the ssubjeeD
mean that a major part OF tAs
adult civilian population will .be
reserves in the armed forces undel
military control
universal military training would
tend further to eliminate tne
healthy criticism which civilians
have heretofore made OF the m1lia
tarv. Very few men with military
training oppose the will OF theil
former commanders" -,
Explaining that each OF the q
signers does not necessarily mdorse
every finding, the report stated that
all agree as to the physically dan
gerous pattern" that is disclosed.
Freedom Held Endangered.
"Militarism leads both to war anc
to loss of freedom" the report as
serted. And there are subtle al
well as obvious dangers to a nation
which yields its civil functions tt
military control. The spirit OF ini-
tiative and inquiry may be sappee
even where some of the externa.
trappings of RECOMMENDATION do moi
appear"
The report devoted considerable
space to what it described as activi-
ties by the armed services te
"propagandize" the public. The
services have been particularly
energetic in trying to win public
approval of universal military train
ing, the report said. 1t added thai
largely by means Of liaison officers
the services maintain an "exten'
sive lobby" in Congress.
Citing the present huge militar!
establishment" and current bulge
outlays, the report said adoption O.
universal military training would re-
suit soon in having more than 5,o00,'
600 men under direct military com
mand at all times.
The report asserted that the mill
tary has moved into the economic
field" and said its influence in th'
field of science "haS grown to sucf
an extent that military control car
be exercised at will"
The report concluded with an Oh
servation that the military by
passed the civil government in Japal
and brought on the war.
"The same pattern already exist.
In large measure in our own land,
it asserted. "It was this same trent
in Germany, together with tn
apathy of the people and the fall
ure of the church, labor and educa
tional groups to speak out, which
permitted the rise of the militarizes
fascist state"