Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-02
TAFT ATTACKED FOR VETO
Views Expressed by President Crit
cised by Mr.. Hay.
DEFENSE MADE BY MIR, KAHN
Calls Attention in His Address to
Reduction of Strength of
War College.

The House passed the army appropria-
ton bill this afternoon. The bill contains
several features to which tho President
had objected in his veto message, but did
not include any legislation which had
been added to the bill after it had gone
into conference
An attack on the way in which Presi-
dent Taft vetoed the bill was made by
Representative Hay Of Virginia this
afternoon, when he brought UP the bill
for discussion and passage. Mr.. Hay
spoke for only a few minutes, but he
had large typewritten manuscript on
the subject OF the veto which he asked
to have inserted in the Record. In dis
cussing the matter. he said:
IF the veto is used in the manner to
which 1t is employed by President Taft
then Congress will be simply an agent
for registering the will Of the executive
In vetoing this bill tho President says
he will sign any bill that has in 1t legis-
lation which he approves but any ap-
preparation bill which has any LEGISLATION
which he does not approve, will not be
signed by him. He will sign any bill
that takes money out of the Treasury,
but he seems unwilling to sign a bill
that will bring about an economy"
The bill. as discussed in the House to-
day. is the same bin that was passed by
the House. It should not be confused
with the bill as it was made up by the
conferees Of the House and Senate As
the bill now stands Maj Gen. Wood and
his position OF chief OF staff is not at
fected.
The present bill cuts the number OF cav
airy regiments from fifteen to ten. II
wipes out the appropriation for twenty
five army posts, and allows the Secretary
OF War to abandon any army post he
wishes. The five-year enlistment term is
left in the present bill. and this increase
Of the term Of two years is one Of the
points on which there is great criticism
of the War Department from certain OIL
GERS Of the War Department.
Consolidates Departments.
This bill consolidates the depart
ments Of the Quartermaster general.
commissary general and paymaster
general. and makes a great consolida-
ton in the Offices Of the adjutant gen.
eral. inspector general and chief Of
staff.
The bill carries an appropriation Of
$S7,277.257. which is about $1,000.0 900
less than last year.
Representative aim Of California de-
Tended the Presidents veto and prom
Used that the present measure would
fail to get the Presidents signature
because it still included many OF the
Objectionable features. He made very
prominent in his talk that the present
bill reduces the strength of the War
College and weakens the Philippine
constabulary. and both of these items.
in their present form. are objectiona-
BILE to the President, he said.
Representative Hay answered him:
There are officers who have been in
the Philippines ten years. he said.
Their duties are not burdesome and
could be performed equally well by many
other officers. To keep these officers in
the Philippines would destroy any idea
Of detached service. Every officer In the
army should have an opportunity to be-
come engaged in the Philippine service
at some time"
Representative Anthony of Kansas said
he believed that any officer in the Pan
anna Canal Zone could be replaced by an
officer now in the United States without
injurirg the service in the least.
Representative Cannon also defended
the Presidents veto.