Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-16
STANDING ARMY To
Be RAISED IN FIVE
YEARS TO 100000
Including FederaIized National
Guard, Full Strength Will Be
$4,000 Men in Readiness
for Defense
(By Associated Press. J

YIN MAY Aos--<A SldAlIlAlS
army of 100000 fighting men, capable
of being expanded in emergency to 254.-
900 and backed by a federalized nation
al guard of 425,0O0 as a reserve, finally
was agreed on today py house and SEN
ate conferees on the army bill. This
would give a total peace strength of
631, 900 men. The agreement will be re-
ported to congress early next week
and the measure. the first of the adj
pected to be before President Wilson for
his signature soon afterward.
Advocates of adequate national de-
Tense regard the conference agreement
as a triumph. The compromise between
the house and senate measures was eff
fected after weeks of struggle against
an insistent demand from house con-
ferees for O standing army of only 140,,
600 men and until today it had ap-
peared that the senate might be forced
to yield The senate bill provided for
$4,000.
The minimum enlisted strength
would be attained under the conference
agreement within the next five years
and 1T is stipulated that at no time shall
the total be less than 100000.
The conference report also provides
for government nitrate manufacturing
plants to cost not exceeding $20,000,0 900;
for vocational education in the regular
army and for establishment of mill
tary training camps for volunteer citi-
zens whose transportation. clothing and
subsistence expenses while in training
would be paid by the federal govern
ment
The training camp feature as final
| Iy approved is regarded as compensa-
ton in a measure for the federal vol
unteer reserve of 261 900 men which
senate conferees were forced to abandon
on insistence from the house.
Other salient features of the measure
provide for board to investigate the
Availability of establishment of govern
ment munition plants and board to
recommend mobilization of industries.
Authority is given to the government to
seize and operate private munition plants
| in time of war.
Under the conference agreement the
regular army would consist of 65 regi-
ments of infantry. % regiments of cav
airy, 81 regiments of field artillery, a.
coast artillery corps of 3O,009 officers
and men, a signal corps of 1887 men,
including the aviation section and seven
regiments of engineers. In the avia-
ton section the number of officers is
increased from a total of sixty to las,
including one colonel, one lieutenant
colonel eight majors, twenty-four cap
tains and ia first lieutenants.
| The organization plan contemplates at
tanning the full peace strength within
five years as proposed In the original
plans.
| General officers of the line would be
increased by four major generals and
| 10 brigadier generals. The general staff
of the army would be increased from
"a officers to SO. The provision of the
senate bill which would have placed five
officers of the national guard in the
general staff was stricken out, but pro-
vision was made for officers of the ma
tional guard to be assigned to volun-
teer citizens camps at government ex-
pense. An effort to give volunteer ctti-
zens in camp the pay of enlisted men
while training failed.
| A provision for vocational training
for men in the regular army regulated by
the secretary of war was left in the bin
and the house proposal for government
| operation of nitrate manufacturing
plants to cost not more than $40, 000,-
900 also was accepted. Selection of
sites is left to the president. The prod
uct of the plants when not needed in
war time may be sold for fertilizer I'M
der executive regulations
Authority is given for the government
to seize and operate private plants for
manufacture of munitions of war in
| time of need, and the president is en-
i powered to appoint board of five men,
two civilians and three army officers, to
| Investigate the advisability of estab-
| fishing government plants for their
manufacture The board would report
before January /. 1917.
The president is authorized to appoint
board to investigate the mobilization
of Industries in time of war.
| The regular army enlistment Is fixed
at seven years, three with the colors
| and four in reserve, but if enlisted men
master military training in one year,
and wish to retire to the reserve, they
may be permitted on proving efficiency
! and upon recommendation of superior
officers.
Final agreement was reached on the
| long disputed measure after a short
session of the conference committee.
Another meeting will be held Monday
! to sign the report.
IL think that we have an excellent
BILL" said Chairman Chamberlain, Of
the senate military affairs committee.
Chairman Hay. of the house commit
-.-''-.'z4.u1u~~.~ OFFER NO. -