The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-03-01
COMMITTEE AGREES
UPON MILITARY BILL
HOUSE BODY DECIDES ON GEN.
ERAL TERMS, INCLUDING IN
CREASE IN REGULAR ARMY

Washington, Feb. 26.-The house
military committee agreed today up
on the general terms of bill it eX-
poets to get before the house in ten
days providing for a regular army
with an authorized peace strength of
143,000 men; a federalized Nation
al Guard which would reach a fixed
minimum strength of 424,000 in four
years; adequate reserve systems for
both of these forces, and organiza-
ton of civilian training camps. with
wide discretion reposed in the war
department as to the terms of en-
listment, training and government.
/ Members of both the house and
senate military committees frankly
admitted today that they had doubts
whether a requisite force could be
enlisted in the National Guard, even
under the proposed federal pay and
regulation provisions, and a growing
tendency to provide for a federal
army reserve in addition to the regu-
lar army and federalized National
Guard was manifest in both commit
tees. Members said they favored a
practical test of the possibility of
forming a federal volunteer army in
peace times on lines somewhat similar
to the continental army plan. The
apparent intention to abandon the
continental project wholly was one
of the causes leading up to the re-
signation of Secretary Garrison.
The Senate Plan.
The senate committee has agreed
tentatively to a plan under which
training camps would be authorized
in every congressional district where
sufficient men volunteered for train
ing under an obligation for war ser
vice. The maximum force to be thus
raised in any district would be bat
talon or substantially the same num-
Der as proposed for the first year Of
the Garrison continental army plan.
The camps would be under command
of full compliments of regular
army officers.
I This tentative plan is in addition
to the regular army and the federal
lied National Guard proposals and is
intended to reach men who would
not be found in either of these SER
vices.
" Representative Kahn, who has ad-
vocated an extension of the camp
training to men who would not enlist
in the regulars or National Guard,
said today that with 10000 men al
ready enrolled for intensive military
training this summer, without gov
ernment aid, he had received assur-
ances that fully 100000 would be
available next year under his plan.
The house committee arrived at its
regular army figures today as a COM
promise after suggestions of peace
Strength of 100000, 100000 and
100000 had been voted down by mar
rowing margins.
The Regular Army.
A non-partisan vote finally fixed
upon $4,000, or 1000 more than
recommended by the war department,
with a provision designed to allow a
percentage of overenlistment in or
der to maintain that strength at all
times. With this provision the total
strength authorized would be suffi-
cient to provide officers to carry out
work of instructions at schools,
among militia regiments and for
other special duties. One thousand
additional men in the commissioned
personnel was agreed upon as against
an increase of 7S6 proposed by the
war department.
The increase over the department
figures would be in field and coast ar
tillery, the former being doubled over
it's present strength. A total of IL
regiments or 108 batteries is contem-
plated. The coast artillery would be
Increased to a point where the regu-
lars to man all mine and torpedo de-
, fenses and one-half the guns in fixed
Notifications would be available with
an additional complement to man
the proposed mobile guns, to be
added.
The bill also provides that Ma
tional Guard officer from each organ
ization be detailed to attend the reg
ular service schools, receiving the pay
of his rank in the regular army while
on such duty. 1t contemplates
authorizing the president to draft the
guard into the federal service at any
time he deems best, without waiting
specific authority of congress-, and
would remove all restrictions on use
of the force outside the country.
May Add to Regulars.
Several members of the house COM
mittee are in sympathy with the SEN
ate committees proposals for the
regular army, which contemplate. as
tentatively agreed upon, a complete
reorganization and a peace strength
! of 175,000 men. In the same way,
it is said, members of the senate COM
r,;t+oo GRO ui11iner to accent the ludp-