Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-08-08
Army Bill Conferees Reach
Agreement While Naval
Heads Turn to House.
WILSON STRUGGLES
FOR BIG INCREASES
Conferees Won't Increase
Enlisted Strength; Raise
Retiring Age.
UIAsHINCTON, Aug. National

NAsHINcToN, Aug. National
w defense legislation in congress
is approaching completion. Today the
conference committee on the army
appropriation bill submitted COM
pete agreement and the conferees
on the naval bill voted to disagree
IN the big construction program and
personnel increases, the only remain
.ng points of dispute in that measure
so that the issues might be referred
back for quick settlement by the two
houses.
Members of the house will be called
to Washington next week for vote
on the building and personnel sections
Of the naval bill.
President Wilson and administra-
ton adequate defense champions are
expected to make a determined effort
to induce house leaders to yield 10
the senate program for construction
Of &C vessels, eight of them to be capi-
tai ships, during 1911. The house
provided for only five capital ships.
If II votes to insist on the original
provisions. it is said the senate con
terees will offer to give up the three
year continuing program in the senate
bill as an inducement to accept the
big program for the first year
Won't Increase Strength.
Agreement was reached by the con-
ferces on administrative features Of
the personnel section, but they did not
agree on the question of increases
in the enlisted strength. The admin
istration is anxious that the enlarged
senate authorizations in this section
also be accepted The senate provided
for a total enlisted strength of a.
4 l.. f.,.. NlNr &
Secretary Daniels plan for promo
tion Of navy officers by selection in
stead of seniority was accepted, but
was so amended that 1t would not
apply to officers lower than the rank
Of commander. Provision is made
for a board OF nine admirals to pass
on the promotion and six must agree
in each case. 1t also was agreed that
captains who are not promoted before
reaching the age of 81 shall be re-
tired and that commanders not pro-
NOTED be retired at 40 and lieutenant
commanders at 40.
The conferoes also raised the gem
eral retiring age limit from 62 to
81 years.
Senator Chamberlain will call up
the army Appropriation report in the
senate tomorrow The bill as agreed
on carried $267,597, 900 or $S5, 600
had been delayed severa! days while
the war department made an unsuc-
ccssful effort to induce the house con-
ferees to recede from their insistence
on the Hay amendment making re-
tired officers exempt from provisions
of the military code.
Many Appropriations.
Among the big army appropriations
MS agreed to are:
For aviation. s13.2s1,666 pay of
officers of the line, 10000 900; trans
portation, $23.0OO,0O0; clothing, $40,
10000; subsistence. 100000, 900;
ordnance stores and ammunition, $1O.-
100000, of which $5,000,000 shall be
expended for purchase of munitions
the remainder to be used for manu-
featuring; ordnance stores and sup
plies, $9,50O,0OO; armed motor cars,
100000. reduced from Sl,OOO,OOO;
field artillery and ammunition for ma
tional guard, s20,000,000 reduced
from s2s,2OO,OOO; for automatic ma
chine rifles, s12,0O0,000, reduced
from S15.0OO,0O0.
For training camps. such as that
at Pittsburgh, the bill appropriates
100000 reduction from $4,000
600 in the senate bill An appro-
priation of s450.000 in the senate bill
TO reimburse the state of New York
for expense in mobilization of the ma
tional guard was stricken out A
$4,000. 600 appropriation is included In
The bill rs agreed to for RELIEF OF
dependent families of guardsmen and
opIigtpd mon