Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-22
Members Of House Commit
tee Unite for Immedi-
ate Action
WAR FORCE OF l42,OOO
Bill Federalizes Militia and Creates
Reserve Force-Administration is
Satisfied.

Washington, Feb. 22.-Mcm5ers
of the House Military Affairs Com
| mittee have agreed upon the princi-
pies on which the army appropriation
bill will be based and upon the more
| important details of the increases
to be allowed in the military estab-
lishment.
In effect, the committeeman =
Democrats and Republicans - have
arrived at compromises which will
result in giving the Administration
everything the President now asks
for and in some directions consider
ABLY more. To reach this conclusion,
concessions were necessary on the
part of every element in the COM
mittee, including Chairman James
Hay himself.
Until yesterday the atmosphere OF
the committee was filled with reports
of divisions, dissensions and conflicts
which seemed irreconcilable. 1t is
now probable that Mr.. Hay will pre-
sent nonpartisan recommendation
to the House and that almost, if not
all. the members of the committee
will support it. This is the end to
which Chairman Hay has been work
ing for three months and to which
President Wilson has been working
since he announced his ''prepared
ness policy.
The most important recommends
ton to be made by the Military Com
mittee will call for an immediate in
creasesin the regular army. all
branches, to $4,000 mer and 1000
officers, or total of l42.000. This
is to be the peace footing Of this
force and it may be increased by the
President at any time he may see
fit to 275,000 men by recruiting the
regular army up to war strength.
This increase from less than f00,-
900 regulars to $4,000 is to be effect
ed by the addition of 10 regiments
Of infantry, 4 regiments of field ar
tillery-possibly 5-and 50 companies
of coast artillery. These increases in
fighting units are almost exactly in
line with the recommendation Of Sec
rotary Garrison. The department ask
ed for four regiments of field artillery
and the committee is now inclined
to provide for five.
1t is proposed. moreover, to in
crease the number Of officers in the
regular army from 1900 to 1000 for
the purpose of providing for the ad-
dtional commands to be authorized
and to provide instructors for mill
tary schools and the National Guard
These additional officers are to be
received into the army from the ma
tional guard. military schools and
from the ranks.
In this connection the committee
will recommend that the cadet corps
at West Point be increased 100, per
cent, as was done in the case of the
Naval Academy, at Annapolis 10 days
ago This is designed to provide for
the future officers of the army, not
for the immediate necessities Of the
service
The President, at the same time,
will he authorized to organize
cadet corps of 1000 officers to be re-
cruited from all the unofficial sourc-
es The members of this corps are
to have the immediate rank OF Sec
ond lieutenants in the army. are to
serve one year with the regulars, be
paid 500 month and at the end OF
one year are to go automatically into
the regular reserve.
These are the provisions made tol
the officers and men of the regular
army to meet immediate and future
needs. But the compromise bill vii
proceed further 1t will include the
| provision that the militia be paid, a:
a substitute for the original contln
entail army scheme. Money will b'
made available for at least 25o,oo'
national. guardsmen IN the first year
| This service is to be "Federalized'
i throughout and authorities hay'
agreed that this may os done with