Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-17

President Taft today knocked out the
army appropriation bill. sending to the
Touse of Representatives early a veto OF
that bill and giving reasons why he has
done SO.
1t was the Presidents first veto of
big appropriation bill and is certain to
be followed by a veto OF the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation bill,
containing legislation abolishing the
Commerce Court.
The belief at the White House is that
neither Of these bills can or will be
pa ssed over the veto OF the President.
The veto message Is as follows:
ITO the House Of Representatives:
IL rave carefully considered the i'm
portant questions presented by the bill
entitled An act making appropriation for
the support Of the army for the fiscal
purposes and I now return 1t to the
House Of Representatives, in which 1t
erislnated. with my objections to it's ap-
prevail. :.
for the appropriation required for the
support of the army during the next
fiscal year. If 1t contained no other pro-
visions, it would receive my prompt ap-
legislation OF a most important char
acter.
Cites Appended Sections.
'In addition to the appropriation bill
proper, there were enacted by the House
Of Representatives, in six appended Sec
tons and elsewhere in the bill, a body OF
legislation which would substantially re-
organize and change the existing military
esta blishment. Among other things, this
legislation reduced the army by ffye reg
iments of cavalry; It changed the extsti:g
term OF the soldiers enlistment; it altered
the amounts Of pay and conditions OF al
lowances made to officers and enlisted
men; 1t consolidated the three great sup
ply corps OF the army and also merged
the adiutant generals and inspector gen.
erals departments with the general stan
1t reduced not only the number OF genera
officers of the army, but also reuuceu
very materially the total NUMBER oI oI
ficers and changed the number and metn-
ods of detail of such officers to the vart-
ous departments; and in other ways mace
changes which necessarily nad TAR
reaching effect upon the military pohcy
of the nation as well as upon the orSani-
cation with which. that policy must be
carried out.
when this bill reached the Senate,
that body. by Il decisive vote. struck
all of this new and affirmative legis-
la ton from the bill. giving as its rea-
son. in the language of the chairman
Of the Senate committee on military
affairs, the following:
Mr.. President, the sections or the
army bill, from and including section
2, which are known as the legislative
sections of the bill, have been stricken
out. as the committee does not oeheve
that important and radical legislation
OF this kind should be included In an
appropriation BILL but should be dis
cussed on Its own merits as an inde-
pendent measure soon as the pro-
posed plan Of reorganization is re-
ceiyed from the War Department.
The subjects covered by these provi-
sions directly affect the efficiency Of the
army. and cannot receive the careful con-
sideration which their Importance de-
mands when included in the provisions OF
an appropriation bill
The consensus Of opinion of the mill
tary authorities Is that II is inadvisable
at this time to attempt partial reorgan-
ization of the army. The entire subject OF
reorganization has been under prolonged
Investigation by the general stan corps.
which corps was created by law for the
purpose among other duties. of studying
and advising upon such subjects.
Until fully matured by the military
authorities OF the War Department and
by the military committees of the two
houses of Congress. the time required for
it's full discussion should not be FASTENED
by the urgency Of an appropriation bill
New Provisions Added.
t'The bill then went to conference, and
the House conferees have now succeeded
in restoring to the bill large portion Of
this affirmative legislation and in addi-
ton thereto have succeeded in introduc-
ing into the bill two entirely new pro-
visions which had not before received
the attention of either house OF Con-
gress or o. either Of their military COM
mittees.
"One of these provisions creates a
commission, to consist or hve retired
army off1cers. who are named in the bill
instead of being chosen by the President
or Secretary Of War. and two members
from each house of Congress. to be
designated by the presiding officers OF
such houses. respectively. to report upon
the location and distribution Of military
posts which are required within the con-
tinental limits of the United States for
the proper accommodation, instruction
and training of the mobile army.
..And until such report is made. the
executive Ia expressly deprived of all
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