While no details of the proposed plan have been announced, it is assumed that it would contemplate physical training and training in military techniques in military camps and establishments under the supervision of military authorities. Any program designed to go beyond these limitations would be an encroachment on the field of civilian education. It cannot be assumed that the military authorities are better equipped than educational authorities to administer a broad educational program. Any program of vocational training or indoctrination would violate the rights of the individual and would savor of the indoctrination programs of the enemy countries. The following question was submitted to the members of these committees: From your knowledge of, and experience with adolescent youth, what do you anticipate to be the effects of a year of peactime military training on young men 17 to 19 years of age? Observations may be summarized as follows: 1. While physical and military training are inescapable when the country is at war or is faced with the probability of war, such a program loses its incentive when the Nation is at peace or when war is more remote. The program will then tend to become monotonous and purposeless, and as such is likely to be a demoralizing factor rather than a program to improve the morale of youth. 2. A real program of physical training and health education to be effective should start at an earlier age than 18 years and should continue beyond that age. A program of training in the military techniques of today is likely to be quite useless tomorrow with the new techniques evolved from day to day. 3. Probable effects of a year of peacetime military training on the emotional, psychological, mental, social, and religious aspects of youth are likely to be all on the minus side. Interruption of the educational career of youth, segregation of large numbers in Army camps with their concommitant evils, uprooting of youth from their home, church, and community environments, are factors which are more likely to result harmfully than beneficially. Peacetime military conscription is designed, presumably, to prepare our country for war. The outstanding example of a democratic country which had followed such a program for many years is France. But this preparedness proved of little value in the face of actual warfare. The United States and Britain have been outstanding examples of countries which have refrained from adopting such a program and these countries have demonstrated their ability to meet the threat without such a program. It was suggested that as an alternative to peacetime military conscription, the Federal Government take the initiative and provide the leadership to insure an adequate physical and health education program throughout our school systems and to increase the opportunities afforded to the youth of America to equip themselves physically, mentally, and technically to meet the demands of tomorrow. Cordially yours, G. O. AUBREY, Chairman, Committee on Work with High-School Youth. Chairman WOODRUM. The committee will now recess until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. (Whereupon, at 3 o'clock p. m., the Select Committee adjourned until 10 a. m. Thursday, June 7, 1945.) UNIVERSAL MILITARY TRAINING THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 1945 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SELECT COMMITTEE ON POSTWAR MILITARY POLICY, Washington, D. C. The select committee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 10 a. m. in the caucus room, Old House Office Building, Hon. Clifton A. Woodrum (chairman), presiding. Chairman WOODRUM. The committee will be in order. Dr. Burgstahler, will you have a seat at the end of the table. Dr. Burgstahler represents the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America and is also president of the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. We are glad to have you present. Dr. BURGSTAHLER. Thank you. Chairman WOODRUM. Will you proceed. STATEMENT OF DR. HERBERT J. BURGSTAHLER, PRESIDENT, OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, DELAWARE, OHIO Dr. BURGSTAHLER. Mr. Chairman and Members of the Select Committee on Post-War Military Policy, I appear before you as the officially designated representative of the Federal Council of Churches. of Christ in America. Twenty-five denominations constitute the Federal Council. The membership of these bodies approximates 25,000,000. I am not mandated to speak for each of these 25,000,000 persons. Within our churches, as elsewhere, there are differences of opinion on the question now under discussion. I am convinced, however, that the statements which I am presenting herewith for the record accurately reflect the prevailing mind of the Protestant leadership of the Nation. The Federal Council, by the official action of its biennial meeting, holds to the view that congressional action on postwar military conscription should be deferred until after the war. The following is the action taken by the Federal Council: The Congress and the people of the United States are now considering the possible adoption of legislation providing for postwar military conscription. The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America recommends that congressional action on this matter be deferred until after the war. The churches believe that the peace should establish procedures for controlling military establishments everywhere. To this end the Christians of many nations are now directing their energies. They are doing this not only in obedience to conscience but also because the war aims of the United Nations as defined in the Atlantic Charter anticipate the establishment of a permanent system of general security and encourage "all other practicable measures which will lighten for peace-loving peoples the crushing burden of armaments." We cannot now foresee the precise nature or strength of the armaments that may be required by the world community when there shall have been established a general system of international security. We are not here pronouncing judgment for or against conscription, but we are pointing out that for the United States to change now its historic policy might be so interpreted as to prejudice the postwar settlement and jeopardize the possibility of achieving the kind of world order reflected in our Government's war aims. We are committed to working for a postwar settlement that will insure to all nations peace, security, and justice. To this end we pledge ourselves anew in the hope that peoples everywhere may be released from the burden of competitive armaments and given the opportunity to develop a world community in accordance with Christian principles. In support of the Federal Council's action I present herewith for inclusion in the record of these hearings a copy of the actions taken by many of the denominations related to the Federal Council: Church of the Brethren. Disciples of Christ. Evangelical and Reformed Church. Friends. Methodist Church. Northern Baptist Convention. Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. United Lutheran Church. Congregational Christian Churches-Council for Social Action. Certain of these denominational bodies have been invited to appear before you. Others, when they have sought the opportunity, have been advised that they cannot be heard. My own church, the Methodist Church, comprising 8,000,000 members, will not be heard here. In order, therefore, to make articulate the voice of what I sincerely believe to be the great majority of our churches, I am respectfully requesting that these statements be inserted in the record. Chairman WOODRUM. We will copy those resolutions in the record as part of your statement. Dr. BURGSTAHLER. Thank you. (The resolutions referred to are as follows:) I. RESOLUTION ON POSTWAR CONSCRIPTION Adopted by the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, November 30, 1945 The Congress and the people of the United States are now considering the possible adoption of legislation providing for postwar military conscription. The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America recommends that congressional action on this matter by deferred until after the war. The churches believe that the peace should establish procedures for controlling military establishments everywhere. To this end the Christians of many nations are now directing their energies. They are doing this not only in obedience to conscience but also because the war aims of the United Nations as defined in the Atlantic Charter anticipate the establishment of a permanent system of general security and encourage "all other practicable measures which will lighten for peace-loving peoples the crushing burden of armaments." We cannot now foresee the precise nature or strength of the armaments that may be required by the world community when there shall have been established a general system of international security. We are not here pronouncing judgment for or against conscription but we are pointing out that for the United States to change now its historic policy might be so interpreted as to prejudice the postwar settlement and jeopardize the possibility of achieving the kind of world order reflected in our Government's war aims. We are committed to working for a postwar settlement that will insure to all nations peace, security, and justice. To this end we pledge ourselves anew in the hope that peoples everywhere may be released from the burden of competitive armaments and given the opportunity to develop a world community in accordance with Christian princip.es. II. DENOMINATIONAL BODIES CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN, ANNUAL CONFERENCE, JUNE 11, 1944 The great principles of equal opportunity, freedom of thought and expression, and respect for the views and rights of minorities-principles originating in the spirit of Christ, and expressed in modern democracy-are also in peril. While we rejoice in the degree to which our Government continues to maintain them, we cannot be blind to the fact that they are violated occasionally by the Government itself and more frequently by the citizenry. We regard with sorrow and al.rm the increasing antagonism directed against Jews, Negroes, Mexicans, and American Japanese; and the current effort toward regimentation and militarization of American life through such proposals as the May conscription bill. DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION, COLUMBUS, OHIO, Be it resolved by the International Convention of Disciples of Christ in session at Columbus, Ohio, October 17-22, 1944: 1. That we affirm our opposition to the enactment of any legislation during the present war providing for compulsory military training and service in peacetime. 2. That we call attention to the fact that there is no existing emergency which requires such haste as marks the efforts of the advocates of this proposal, especially in view of the fact that the present Selective Service and Training Act is effective for 6 months after the end of the war. 3. That in our judgment the nature of the peace and the character of the future world organization should be determined before policies of national defense are decided upon. Only after the war is over and the nature of the peace is more clearly indicated will it be possible to establish wise policies looking toward national defense and preservation of the peace. 4. That we record our conviction that any proposal so foreign to American policy and principle as adoption of permanent peacetime conscription for military or national service should be preceded by adequate public discussion. We further call attention to the fact that no such discussion has been had and that such discussion is impossible while several million men and women most vitally concerned are out of the country in the armed services: Therefore be it Resolved, That this convention for the reasons above set forth urges the Congress of the United States of America to pass no legislation providing for compulsory peacetime military training or national service until after the end of the present war. GENERAL SYNOD OF THE EVANGELICAL AND REFORMED CHURCH, YORK, PA., JUNE 2128, 1944 We declare ourselves as unalterably opposed to "postwar conscription" and compulsory military training which is being advocated now in many quarters. In this we can see only a militarization of our democracy that will tend toward future wars. The church must declare its faith in world peace by placing its trust in the instruments of the spirit. As a nation we certainly cannot exercise a moral leadership in a world community of nations, if by our actions we prove ourselves to be committed to a policy of power politics. CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN FRIENDS, RICHMOND, IND., NOVEMBER 1-4, 1944 As members of the Religious Society of Friends assembled in conferences at Richmond, Ind., November 1-4, 1944, we record our opposition to the adoption of universal military conscription in the United States now or at any other time. Universal military conscription violates both the rights of conscience and religious liberty. It is a threat against these cherished American ideals. |