New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-31
Officers Declare political
TriCksters" Drew Wilson
Appropriation Measure.
ANGERED BY RAISE
IN PAY FOR GUARD
Provision of $13,OOO,0OO
for Aircraft Is Only Feat
ure They Commend.
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune J


provision in the Army appropriation
bill, in the opinion of every army Off
Ger questioned here to-day, is that APP
propriating S13,O0O,0OO for aircraft.
Not one army officer could be found
who agrees with President Wilson that
on the signing of the bill by him "the
whole country will feel Congress has
accomplished very remarkable part
Of the programme of national defence
Save for its one redeeming feature,
they unqualfedly condemned the meas
ure as fallacious in principle, waste
of practically all the money provided
for, and a bill drawn by political
tricksters in Congress at the behest
of the lobby maintained at Washington
by the National Guard.
They declare the bill is full of per-
sonal legislation aimed at army officers
on the retirement list in line for pro-
motion and equally replete with pro-
visions favoring the federaliZed militia.
The basic intent of the measure, that or
making the National Guard the most
important factor of the country's pres
ent and future military establishment,
is the topic on which most of the Off
GERS spoke their minds most freely.
Particularly arc they dissatisfied with
the provision FOR IAN additional 10 per
cent increase of pay to officers Of the
militia or National Guard engaged IN
protecting the Mexican border" TO the
amount of $3,17S,2l0. For enlisted
guardsmen this increase is 20 per cent,
or a total OF Sl1 900 600.
Favoritism Is Charged.
"The regular army" said an officer,
"has been serving down there for hve
years without any one considering they
were entitled to any consideration"
The bill shows a vast amount OF
money is to be expended on the tenn
porary mastering of the National Guard
into the Federal service. The Senate
increased to S11 100000 the provision
Of the House to pay officers OF the
guard S2,225,000, but by compromise
this figure now stands at S9,OOO,OOO.
Similarly the pay of the enlisted men
of the National Guard was placed at
S23 100000, and it was provided all
officers and enlisted men of the Ma
tonal Guard who respond to the call OF
the President shall, at the expiration
Of the military service to which they
are called, be restored to the positions
occupied by them at the time of the
call" In other words, after they have
finished their service on the Mexican
border, the United States will have
nothing to show in the size and
strength of the army, for the money
expended to increase its military estab-
lishment.
Personal Legislation Denounced.
"Look at the paltry sum Of $4,000
for the expenses Of officers on duty
abroad to observe the operations OF
armies at war" said another army oth-
Ger. "As compared with the full APP
preparation, this is ridiculous. The APP
propriaton for aircraft is certainly
wise. but war which has practically
revolutionizcd the military art is now
in progress, of the tactics and strategy
of which we arc profoundly ignorant.
And we are allowing the munifcent sum
of $4,000 for investigation"
One provision of the personal legis-
lation" denounced as vicious is that au-
thorizing the President 10 appoint any
colonel on the retired list, who before
retirement served more than forty-nye
wears and six months, including sixteen
wears in the line of the army, who held
command in the line or staff over nine
and a half years, who received cam
paign badges for service in four Ind
ian campaigns and in the war with
Spain and the Philippine Instruction,
and who was recommended by COM
handing general in time of war or IN
surrection for appointment 70 the grade
of general officer in the volunteer
army"
ONLY one man, who the trainers of
the measure had in mind, could possibly
fill all of these requirements.
Bonus Offered for Re-enlistment.
The great problem now confronting
army officers is the building up of an
army reserve which could be called
upon in time of need. No better way
could be found TO accomplish this than
through short enlistments, 1t is argued.
In this way a soldier, honorably DIS
charged. could return to private life,
but would remain thoroughly trained
soldier if emergency arose.
The present bill provides, however,
for a bonus of three months additional
nav to men who re-enlist within three
months from date of discharge. The
sum of Sl5O,500 is set aside for this
purpose.
"This proposition is thoroughly wrong
in principle" was the opinion voiced
BIZ an officer of high rank. We should
encourage the non-cOmmlssl0ned oltlcer
TO re-enlist and the private should re-
turn to private life and go into the re-
serve after he has been sufficiently
trained The day of the standing Of
old soldiers has passed"