The Washington times., 1912-07-09
PRESIDENT TO WIN
FIGHT WITH HOUSE
OVER ARMY BILL
Taft Will Veto Measure as
Often as Passed III
Present Form.

The House will probably be driven
into a retreat from it's position on the
army bill.
The situation as to the bill now 10
that having been vetoed by the Presi-
dent, II has again been passed by the
House in the form in which II origin
ally passed that body. 1t Is pending
in the Senate.
President Taft, having blocked the
measure once, Is standing ready to
veto II again unless II Is sent to him
in form materially changed.
In fact, the talk in army circles, and
II seems to have good foundation. is
that the President will under no cir
cumstances accept a bill like the one
he vetoed, but will veto, 1t more than
once IL necessary.
House In Awkward Position.
1t will be a remarkable retreat II
! the House gives way. But II has got
into a difficult position and the Pres
/ ident in some respects has the ad-
vantage of the situation. The Presi-
dent, of course, cannot AFFORD to see
the army appropriations blocked COM
pletely and the army thus put in a
position of having nothing on which
| to subsist for the next fiscal year.
! But the House cannot afford this any
| more than the President can and the
President knows that II the House
tries to prevent money being allowed
| the army because OF the legislation It
wants passed in the army bill, the
| sympathies of the country will be
with the army and against the House.
| House leaders are undoubtedly aware
OF this and consequently know they
, can carry on the fight over the army
bill only to limited extent
Lengthens Enlistment Period.
One of the features of the army ap-
propriation bill to which the President
took exceptions in his veto was the
provision extending the enlistment
period of the men from three years to
| four. The President declared this was
contrary to enlightened military policy.
The tendency of the lengthenlng OF the
! term to cut down the pay of the en-
listed man, according to army officers
who have given the subject study
| The President is reported to be per-
fectly willing to join issue with the
House leaders over the army bill. He
IL convinced the country will not sane
tion the lengthening of the enlistment
term and the reduction of the compen-
sation for the enlisted man.
The action OF Congress in throwing
Gen. Leonard Wood out OF the office
| Of chief of staff and making so brilliant
| an officer as General Funston ineligible
| to the appointment OF chief OF stan IL
| another feature OF the bill which the
President considers indefensible himself
and he does not believe II will have the
support Of the country. ta sa~s..
Want Posts Abandoned.
Then there Is the question OF naming
a commission to inquire into the wisdom
OF abandoning military posts. This com
mission as made up in the bill would
1t is generally understood. oppose thu
abolishment of posts. At any rate, 1
would proceed to the business of aool
ishment with extreme slowness and con
servatism. The President is prepared L
keep up the fight on this commission a.
a scheme to protect certain army posts
The President has a hundred vetoe
in stock for that army bill as 1t passet
Congress In the first place." said an oh
army officer today
1t will probably, however. not be nee
essary for the President to repeat tn
veto. The Senate is expected to pas
the bill stripped of the important legis
lation grated on 1t and the House thel
to yield to the Senate.