UNIVERSAL MILITARY TRAINING. MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1917. UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met at 10 o'clock a. m. for the purpose of resuming consideration of the bill S. 1695, to provide for the military and naval training of the citizen forces of the United States, Senator Geo. E. Chamberlain (chairman), presiding. Present: Senators Thomas and Brady. The CHAIRMAN. Dr. Howe is present, accompanied by several other physicians who desire to be heard by the subcommittee. STATEMENT OF DR. LUCIEN HOWE, 520 DELAWARE AVENUE, BUFFALO, N. Y. The CHAIRMAN. Doctor, you were with the committee a while some days ago, and we sought to arrange with you for a hearing before the committee on the part of some physicians, and I suppose you are here in pursuance of that arrangement? Dr. Howe. Yes, sir; it was the National Association of Military Service, and at that time the chairman was kind enough to say that he would listen to me. I appreciated, however, that was such a very excellent opportunity to present the medical aspect of the bill that I thought one physician should not undertake it alone. Accordingly, after consulting with several of my colleagues in New York I sent out a letter. The CHAIRMAN. You may put the letter in the record. Dr. Howe. It is simply an explanation of the fact that in view of the vast importance of this question and the probable benefits of any system of uniform physical examination and sanitary supervision of young men, or certainly of boys, it seemed to me that no one physician should attempt to present the subject to the committee and through it to the country. That was my letter, in a word, to them. I have here also a copy of a letter sent by Mr. Sheets, introducing me to Senator Chamberlain. I inclosed a copy of this to these men in order that they might know that I have some authority in the matter. This is the letter which they separately addressed to Senator Chamberlain as the chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. The CHAIRMAN. You may have those put in the record, too. (The papers referred to are here printed in full, as follows:) MY DEAR DOCTOR: This is to ask if you care to join with other presidents and chairmen, or former presidents and chairmen, of national and state medical organiza tions, in expressing individually, but not officially, an opinion in favor of universa military training. You are perhaps aware that Senator Chamberlain's bill (S. 1695) is "to provide for the military and naval training of the citizen forces of the United States." "It outlines a system somewhat like that of Switzerland and Australia, the medical points involved being expressed in sections 2 and 26. A copy of these sections is here inclosed. Hearings on this bill began on the 18th instant, with testimony from Gen. Scott, Gen. Wood, Secretary Baker, and others. On the 16th a meeting of the National Association for Universal Military Training was held in Washington, and I was designated to represent that association before the Committee on Military Affairs. The secretary, Mr. Sheets, introduced me to Senator Chamberlain with a note, a copy of which is inclosed-with some hesitationbut it will serve also as my introduction to you. The hearing was arranged for me on Monday, January 8, at 10 o'clock. In view of the vast importance of this question and the probable benefits of any system of uniform physical examination and sanitary supervision of young men or certainly of boys of this and of future generations, it seemed to me that no one physician should attempt to present the subject to that committee and through them to the country. I am therefore inviting men whose present or former official positions attest their high standing and wide reputation to occupy the time assigned to me, or at least to join in a written statement as to the advantage of such training. That alone would be of great educational value to the nation. If, therefore, you care to cooperate in this plan, then, for the sake of uniformity, please sign your name, with the title of the national or State medical organization over which you now preside or have presided, thus: "John Doe, president (or former president) of the American Medical Association." Any action of course must be immediate. Those who wish, can telegraph their approval, mailing the signed statement later to me, and their names also will be presented at the hearing. Names received after the hearing may appear in the official proceedings, but by special permission of the committee. Most of the time at the hearing will be given to an effort to have the committee understand the significance of the statement, the character of the organizations over which the signers now preside or have presided, their contributions to medical knowledge, and, in general, that this is quite unlike the usual perfunctory letter or petition. Those who can make it convenient, at such short notice, to be at the hearing, or who can perhaps delegate some colleague in Washington or Baltimore to represent them, are asked to meet in the south parlor of Congress Hall Hotel at 9.15 the morning of January 8. That hotel is on New Jersey Avenue, half a block south of the Capitol. If you do approve of this plan, it will be taken for granted (unless you write me to the contrary) that your name may be used for a similar statement later to the Committee on Military Affairs of the House or in conference. I would be interested to know also of any action taken by medical organizations with which you are connected approving of military training. Hoping that we may have your cooperation in the matter, Very truly yours, LUCIEN HOWE. [S. 1695, Sixty-fourth Congress, first session.] A BILL To provide for the military and naval training of the citizen forces of the United States. SEC. 2. That all persons trained under the provisions of this act shall be known and designated as follows: (a) between the ages of twelve and seventeen years, inclusive, as the Citizen Cadet Corps; (b) between the ages of eighteen and twenty three years, inclusive, as the Citizen Army. SEC. 26. That the President is hereby authorized to call into the service of the United States such members of the Medical Reserve Corps, and for such periods of time as may be necessary to exercise proper sanitary supervision of training centers and training camps, and to make the necessary physical examinations of persons liable to be trained in the Citizen Cadet Corps, in the Citizen Army and Navy, and in their reserves. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR UNIVERSAL MILITARY TRAINING, MY DEAR SENATOR CHAMBERLAIN: This letter introduces to you Dr. Lucien Howe, of Buffalo, a member of our National Advisory Council and the author of "Universal Military Education." Dr. Howe is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Professor Emeritus of Ophthalmology. Dr. Howe is devoted to a special field of the subject of military training and has just had an interview with Brig. Gen. Crowder, the Judge Advocate General, and desires about 10 minutes for an interview with you to arrange a hearing before your committee. Any courtesy you can extend to Dr. Howe will be greatly appreciated by this association and by me personally. Lieut. Gen. Young has designated him as our representative before your committee. Sincerely, yours, Hon. GEORGE E. CHAMBERLAIN, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. H. H. SHEETS, Secretary. Dr. Howe. The gist of it is that they state their approval of two important points, first, a survey of all of the boys and young men of 18 years in the country, and, second, of military training. Senator BRADY. My desire is to get the matter in concrete form. It seems to me the proper way to get this in the record would be to have this letter which you addressed to the chairman of the Committee of Military Affairs, and below the letter place the names of the different associations that have responded. Dr. HowE. Certainly. I have them in groups. For the information of those who naturally do not know about medical organizations it is worth while to give also a very brief explanation of the organizations of the physicians in this country. First, some sixty-odd thousand practitioners are members of the American Medical Association, and that body at its annual meeting elects not only a new president but chairmen of the different sections. In addition to the American Medical Association there are a number of special medical societies. Admission to them is determined by their own standards of admission, and they are made up of men who have contributed to medical knowledge or are prominent by virtue of their experience or ability. From them are chosen the presidents of the special medical societies. (The letter referred to is here printed in full, as follows:) Senator GEORGE E. CHAMBERLAIN, Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. DEAR SIR: The undersigned, presidents and chairmen, or former presidents and chairmen of national and State medical organizations, have learned with satisfaction that your committee has under consideration a bill providing for universal military training. We understand that this bill (S. 1695) outlines a system similar to that adopted by Switzerland and Australia, that it contemplates a physical examination of boys, and the beginning of military training with suitable forms of gymnastic exercises, at about 12 years of age. Also that an amendment has been suggested providing in substance for training, beginning at 18 and lasting in an intensive form, about six months or more. The possibilities of any such plan are in every way so important and so beneficial physically, that as physicians and surgeons we desire to express to your committee our hearty approval of it. We believe that the public in general does not realize what a considerable per cent of young persons develop deformities and diseases which, if recognized in an early stage, could be so controlled as to save a vast amount of inconvenience of suffering and unnecessary expense. We are convinced that the setting-up exercises constitute a most efficient means of correcting incipient spinal curvature and thus tend also to lesson the near-sightedness which often results indirectly from the stooping posture. We believe that systematic training in alertness, prompt response and efficient action are forms of mental development too much neglected. These, with many other considerations, prompt us to express the personal opinion that universal military training would prove of great benefit to young men of the United States, especially if that training were begun, in suitable form, as in some other countries, at about 12 years of age. It seems probable, also, that after the benefits of such a plan have been demonstrated, similar methods, with suitable modifications, would become popular for young women and girls. Thus the average health of the entire nation would be raised to a higher plane. We are aware that while the Constitution gives the Federal Government full power of conscription at any age for military purposes, as restated by the Judge Advocate General in the Congressional Record of April 12, there is still in the public mind a serious doubt whether the exercise of that power over boys of school age may not conflict with the equally well-established right of each State to control education. We believe, however, that the nature, time, and place of the training, as viewed from a medical standpoint, could be so arranged as to avoid any such conflict. But if your committee finds that this proposition to improve the health of the boys of our country arouses antagonism sufficient to defeat the plan of such training even for the young men, then we must be content for the present with efforts to educate the public in this direction. Meanwhile, however, it seems proper for us to reiterate our conviction that such training is also of great benefit to young men, even as old as 18, and to express, in urgent terms, our unqualified approval of universal military training. NAMES OF SIGNERS OF LETTER (79), ACTUAL OR FORMER PRESIDENTS OF STATE SOCIETIES OR ASSOCIATIONS (41). Samuel Wallace Welch, ex-president Alabama State Medical Association; member Alabama State Board of Health and Medical Examiners. H. T. Inge, M. D., former president Alabama State Medical Association. Oscar M. Gilbert, former president Colorado State Medical Society, Boulder, Colo. John R. Espey, M. D., ex-president Colorado State Medical Society, Trinidad, Colo. George B. Polkard, M. D., former president of the American Orthopedic Association and Colorado State Medical Society, Denver, Colo. Seldom B. Overlock, former president Connecticut State Medical Society. J. G. Stanton, former president Connecticut State Medical Society. Max Mailhouse, former president of the Connecticut Medical Society; former president of the National Association for the Study of Epilepsy on the Care and Treatment of Epileptics. Henry W. Briggs, former president Delaware State Medical Society. E. Y. Davidson, former president Medical Society of the District of Columbia. J. R. Wellington, former president of Medical Society of the District of Columbia. John B. Nichols, M. D., former president (1912) of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia. R. H. McGinnis, former president Florida Medical Association. E. W. Warren, M. D., president Florida Medical Association. J. G. Dean, president Medical Association of Georgia. W. F. Howard, M. D., F. A. C. S., former president Idaho State Medical Association; former president Pocatello Medical Association; former secretary State Board of Medical Examiners. Charles W. Lillie, former president Illinois State Medical Society. William Frederick Howat, former president Indiana State Medical Association. John H. Slab, M. D., F. A. C. S., former president Indiana State Medical Association. George F. Keiper, president Indiana State Medical Association. W. B. Small, former president Iowa State Medical Society. L. W. Littig, former president Iowa State Medical Society, and late president of Western Surgical Association. M. F. Jarrett, M. D., former president of the Kansas Medical Society. Oliver D. Walker, former president Kansas Medical Society. J. G. Carpenter, ex-president Kentucky State Medical Association. Fred J. Mayer, former president Louisiana State Medical Society; State medical inspector (1906-9). J. C. Willis, M. D., former president Louisiana State Medical Society. Erastus Eugene Holt, A. M., M. D., LL., F. A. C. S., president of the Maine Medical Association for 1915-16. Stanley P. Warren, M. D., ex-president Maine Medical Association and one of the staff of four hospitals. William C. Peters, former president of Maine Medical Association. |