Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-07
Lively Discussion in Senate
Over Increase of Army.
SENATOR HALE BEGAN IT
He Referred to Plan of the Chief of
Staff.
7AS CLAPP'S SUGGESTION
TO Reconsider the Vote by Which
the Senate Passed the Army
Appropriation Bill.

The Senate engaged today for some
time in the discussion of a report printed
in a morning paper today to the effect
that Secretary Taft contemplated the in
crease of the army SO as to bring the
number up to $4,000 men. The subject
was introduced by Senator Hale. who
spoke of the enormous sum of sos. 600 900
carried by the army appropriation bill,
which passed yesterday. He said that
he did not know whether the writer Of
the article had inside Information. but
he added that 1t was understood to be
the plan Of the chief of staff of the army
to double the present size of that organ
ization. In this connection he mentioned
the fact that this officer often acts as
Secretary of War ''in the prolonged. fire.
quent and necessary absence Of the Sec
retary."
Mr. Hale expressed the hope that the
program for such vast increase would
not be carried into effect. He also pro-
nounced against the plan for four battle
ships. and called attention to the fact
that 20 per cent of the governments rev.
enues were now being expended on past.
present and future wars, including eX-
penditures for pensions.
Senator Hale traced the increase in mil
itary expenditures to the necessity for
protecting the Philippines. Of which he
spoke as "a pestilential curse" He made
the prediction that the expenses would
continue to pile up until this country got
rid of those islands.
Senator Clapp. expressing himself in
sympathy with Senator Hale. suggested
the reconsideration of the army bill with
a view to modifying it's provisions but
Mr.. Hale replied that the naval bill. which
would come before the Senate before
great while. would afford ample opportun-
ity for the Senate to show its state Of
mind regarding military expenditures.
Mr.. Clapp's Suggestion.
Senator Clapp of Minnesota asked SEN
ator Hale to move that the Senate recon-
army appropriation bill yesterday. He
said he thought the Senate should exer-
else it's legislative power and proceed to
cut down the army appropriations at
once.
Mr.. Hale replied that Mr.. Clapp was
right when he said that the Senate should
exercise its prerogative in the matter. and
he thought that it will do so when the
naval appropriation bill comes before the
Senate.
"Then senators will have a chance"
he said. "to do more than simply criti-
else"
The question was then asked by Sem
ator Beverage Of Indiana whether the
War Department has given any reasons
for the proposed increase in the army
referred to. Before Senator Hale could
reply, however. Senator Scott of West
Virginia arose to say that 81 .OOO.O 600 Of the
S20.O0O,OO Increase carried in the bill
this year is due to the increased pay of
the officers and enlisted men. Senator
Bacon of Georgia gave IT as his opinion
that the chairman Of the appropriation
committees ought to volunteer more in
formation about appropriation bills than
it is the custom to do.
Senator Beveridge then repeated his
question. and Senator Hale replied by
saying that the War Department did give
reasons and that one of them was that
this country should be prepared for a big
war.
At this point Senator Aldrich of Rhode
Island took the floor and declared that
he hoped the Senate would give atten-
ton to the timely utterances'' of the
senator from Maine He called attention
to the fact that the excess of expenditures
over receipts last year was 5000. 900 and
that during the previous year the excess
of receipts over expenditures was $52 OOO :
600. making a difference of $50 600 600
He said that now pending were four or
five bills for appropriations aggregating
over 500. O0O. 900.
He declared that the democrats of the
Mr.. Hale had said about cutting down ex-
penditures. in view Of the fact that they
have been advocating the passage of big
appropriation bills Of a more or less pri-
vate character and at the same time criti-
cisng the republicans for spending so
much money in the operation of the gov
eminent.