The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-24
Hay Measure Not In Ac- cOrdance With Persistent Demands of the lingo Press
CHAMBERLAIN BILL
 FAVORED IN SENATE
 PROVIDES MORE MEN
Compromise On Army Will Be At Some Figure Be- tween 140,O00 and 100000 Men
By HUGH ". RoBERTs

Washington, March 3.--(Special) With the military preparedness bill which has passed the House, it is a safe conclu- sion that the professional pacifist is a great deal more pleased than the profess sional jingo.
 Under the provisions of the bill the United States will not become prepared for war, but will become adequately pre- pared for the maintenance of peace And the measure is so elastic that the govern ment. by the prompt exercise of functions conferred, could in the shortest possible time become adequately prepared to meet any emergency of the future
 In it's integral parts, the measure is es- sentially conservative and essentially non- mi,itaristic. During the debate in the House, the ardent advocates of efficient preparation''-t jingo element of Con gress-were ruthless in their criticism. They declared that after months and months of arduous toll, months and months of public frothing on the part of the President and others in authority" the committee, like the grooming noun tain, had strained and produced a mouse TWO CONTROLLING FACTORS In connection with tle character cA he bill, there are two thoughts wortr4 Of consideration. The first is that a lingo bill, even in the face of the Mexican sit uation, could not have been forced through the lower-or the upper-hodse of Congress. The idea is firmly entrenched that it would be the part of folly to bur den the people with insufferable taxation for the purpose of maintaining a standing army as large as those of other repre- sentatives nations of the globe.
 The second is that the House military committee could not consistently have produced jingo bill. For the majority of its members may properly be listed as little army and little navy men. Of the membership of the committee, for irl- stance, there are 10 men who might have voted last session on the big navy" prop aganda. Those who voted against the "big navy were Dent, Fields, Mcclellan, Gordon and Quin; for the big navy Kahn, Greene and Mckenzie. Those who did not vote but who are regarded as Tit tie navy men are Hay chairman, and Anthony.
 It was natural, therefore, that the com mittee should have produced a conserva- tive bill. Had a jingo committee fash toned the measure it would not have re- ceived the support of the pacifists, and in all probability would have died.
 AS heretofore pointed out in this corre- spOndence, the bill would increase the standing army by 10000 men, making the total number 14O,O00. It would nationalize the guard and pay the officers and men wages with the understanding that the guard so nationalzed would still be .amenable to the call of governor.
 The Chamberlain or Senate bill would provide standing army of about 100000 men. In it's main features the Chamber lain bill will pass the upper house. It is a matter of general knowledge that the two measures will ultimately find their way to a conference committee.
 And the prediction is made, that the conference committee will strike a com promise on an army larger than 140.C00 and not as large as 100000 men.