Show Universal Training Due for Bi dig 9 Play Backers ackers Say Needed To Bolster Foreign Policy By BAUKHAGE N News Netus Analyst At and Commentator This Thit is it th the thirst first o of f two articles on oa the drive for universal military training which is It to 10 b be ba a launched mch d soon and what whal is s back of that Ihal drive The first article deals with the Ibe I potential effect of military training on our foreign policy the next with the program itself I WASHINGTON As As As the foreign ministers' ministers conference plodded along in London American delegate Marshall probably frequently found himself reaching for one document to support his cause that wasn't there If it had been he would have had concrete proof to place before the world that America is is not engaging in in the well- well known game of bluff That is why shortly after the second session of the congress opens in January you will see and hear a lot more about universal military training training training train- train ing than you ever did before The President as requested by the Amerlean American American Amer Amer- ican lean Legion is expected to proclaim a week January 6 through 12 and although there will be no active propaganda on the part of the government government government govern govern- ment departments because the administration especially the war department department depart- depart ment is going to lean over backwards to avoid the charge of trying to influence influence in in- fluence congress they will do whatever n they can within their prescribed I limits But there will be a concerted pro- pro drive from many private organizations or or- The Ther r 9 American Legion n is concentrating w on that one issue and its common commander command command- er Jam James e s F F. F ONeil O'Neil has pub pub- publicly publicly publicly stated he is going to give his whole time to it The and other othe r veterans' veterans f organs organizations will fall in line More imp important p perhaps per per- e r haps hops will be the Baukhage active participation tion of the powerful power power- ful national security committee headed by former Justice of the Supreme Supreme Supreme Su Su- Su- Su preme Court Owen J. J Roberts This committee f fo formed o r m e d about two months ago is an of an earlier earlier earlier ear ear- lier citizens' citizens committee headed by Justice Roberts which unsuccessfully unsuccessfully unsuccessfully fully urged passage of a universal military training bill through the thelast thelast thelast last session of congress Like the earlier group the purpose of this national security committee composed composed composed com com- posed of veterans' veterans groups like the Legion and as well as the national national national na na- na- na chamber of commerce Rotary Rotary Rotary Ro Ro- Ro- Ro tary clubs and the League of Women Voters is to coordinate efforts to get universal training enacted into law The interesting thing about the renewed renewed renewed re re- re- re drive for military training as the men who have negotiated American foreign policy interpret it is that military function is secondary Let me explain it this way l ranted Granted that mat the Kremlin policy POlicy policy pol- pol pol POl- icy is a range long-range plan of active aggression whose most immediate immedi immedi- ate goal is to get control over as many na nations ions or as much disputed disputed disputed dis dis- dis- dis territory as possible and absorption of control over Germany Germani Germany Ger Ger- many mani as its chief goal Granted that communism in Europe at this writing is on the defensive and will be even more so if the European recovery plan succeeds Meanwhile the Russians will take every step short of war Granted that Russia does not wish to fight a war at present Russia knows we know that But Russia knows that we not only do not want war she also knows WE VE COULD NOT FIGHT ONE not only because we have only a handful of troops on the he continent continent continent con con- a force greatly outnumbered outnumbered outnumbered by the Red army but because because because be be- cause we are woefully pared Therefore the Russians knew the they can go much further in their cold war than they otherwise otherwise oth oth- could They can play their obstructionist game in the foreign ministers' ministers conference and in the United Nations carry carryon on active propaganda against us along the periphery of their satellites satellites satellites sat sat- and even ACTIVELY AID armed forces within non- non satellite border states as they are doing doine- in Greece I IThe The Russians feel they can I I take this coarse course because they believe that the American people peo pee pIe themselves will vill not back any I threat to their Soviet aggression aggression aggression sion nor they think will America America Amer Amer- ica support any step to strengthen strength strength- I en the military machine of the United States r That is the reason t the he hand of our 1 t. t policy makers would be greatly strengthened if universal military training were established here because because because be be- cause it would show that America is I really backing its diplomats I Of course the argument that thata a strong military organization prevents prevents' war because it reduces the chance of attack is an old one cue But under the peculiar in international international international in- in situation which exists exists exists exists' ex ex- today it is probably more nearly true than ever before in history Whether or not a bill authorizing universal military training is passed at the coming session depends on 4 cf o oL I L j r s whether the people believe this I whether it changes the thinking of enough members of congress so that thata a favorable majority can be ob ob- No one will make a guess now as asto asto asto to what the chances are but the situation mentioned above already already already al al- al- al ready has effected some changes of viewpoints The sources of support for will draw heavily from administration tion regulars unless popular opposition opposition opposition tion gives them the election year jitters fitters Gathers Strong Support Naturally Chan Gurney of South Dakota chairman of the senate armed services committee and Chairman Walter G. G Andrews of New York of the house committee of the same name whose subcommittee sub commit tee under Representative Harry Towe of New Jersey produced the bill which is now pending before the house are enthusiastic supporters of the measure And it is expected that friends of would-be would presidential candidate Dewey will fall in line since universal military training is isone isone isone one of the major issues which the New York governor has endorsed If this assumption is correct Senator Senator Senator Sena Sena- tor Ives and Republican House Majority Majority Majority Ma Ma- Leader Halleck could be included in in- Senator of Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts Mas Mas- has expressed his ap ap- ap- ap Candidate Stassen and his friends though not at this writing committed are emphatically friend friend- ly lYe Governor Warren another avowed candidate took the trouble to fly East to address I I I q y AA STASSEN DEWEY VEY They favor javor cally rally the Roberts national security committee at length when it was formed There are many other prominent Senator Taft is definitely opposed opposed opposed op op- posed to universal military training which he groups with other controls which are objectionable objectionable ob ob- ob to him Opposition may be considered strong from the extreme right and the extreme left It is hardly likely that Representative Vito Marcantonio Marcantonio Marcantonio Marcan- Marcan tonio who has the support of Communists Communists Communists Com Com- in New York would vote for Outside of congress the church organizations and a large army of mothers are opposed The only way their view can be changed supporters say is to convince them that our boys will be safer trained I than untrained that in ev every ry war warwe warwe warwe we have had to have a trained citizen citizen citizen citi citi- zen army in the end Twice while we waited to train it it thousands died and some went into service j f without proper preparation |