New-York tribune., 1916-02-27
House Committee Favors
Bryan Inspired Plan
for $4,000 Men.
CONTINENTAL IDEA
GROWS IN CONGRESS
Several Garrison Features, In
Guiding Training Camps
Adopted by Senators.

army Of lS5. 900 men, the smallest num-
Der suggested by the mildest pacih"
on the committee. was agreed on py
the House Military Affairs Committes
,o-dav Six members voted for
strength Of 100000 men: Representa-
,ives Olnev. Of Massachusetts,; far'eS
and Caldwell. Of New York, Democrats.
md TIson. Of Connecticut; Greene oA
v.ruont. and Crago, OF Pennsylvania
Republicans.
The amendment for $4,000 men, sus-
rs.te5 after. proposals for 22o.Ooo'
175.OO0 and 10000 men had pee"
voted down. was proposed by Repre-
sentative Shallenberger, Of Nebraska
o close friend Of william Jennings bry-
an and generally known as pacihs',
Representatives desiring more aae,
innate first line defence than lso'ooo
men. especially since the proposed con-
tinental army plan has been soa"-
doned. expressed the determination TO-
night to fight on the floor OF inc
House for more substantial increase
Il ;s virtually certain that the senate
will boost this figure, probably 10 ~
least 200 900 men, and the prediction Is
<r..lv made that the House will yield
20 the increases made by the Senate
Incorporate Hay Feature
The bill as agreed on by the house
committee Incorporates all the features
Included in the original draft OF the Dill
made up one week ago by Chairman
Hay. including the sc. eI'- for feoerai-
,zing the national guard. There was
no exposition to this provision Inc
original draft WAS modified, however,
10 provide for the enlistment OF mini
mum Of 200 and maximum OF 800
nilitiamen for each Congressional dis
.rict. with an additional 200 to SOo at
large in each state for each senator;
The national guard would reach hxed
minimum strength Of 424,OOO men IN
fye wears. Provisions are lncorpor-
sted 10 allow the President power TO
take over the national guard IN time OF
war and to give the Secretary OF war
wide discretion in the matter OF dls-
cipline and training of the organized
militia.
There WAS no discussion OF the con-
-inental army scheme, but members OF
the committee who favor preparedness
in large degree expressed the nope
that constitutional amendment might
some day be put through WHEREBY
large Federal militia would be pos
sib1e Members of both the House and
Senate military committees said they
favored practical test Of the possibil-
CIV Of forming a Federal volunteer
army In peace times, along lines SINH
lar 10 the continental army plan.
The bill carries provision author.
izing the doubling OF the number or
cadets at West Point and provides the
increased facilities necessary for THIS
change. The number OF army ofhcers
is increased in proportion TO the size
of the army, a total OF 1000 being
figured on. or this number 1000 will
be detailed TO schools and colleges
where military training is part OF
the curriculum.
Follows Wilson Suggestions.
With the exception of the number
81 artillery regiments, the bill toi
lows the Presidents suggestions yer!
closely The committee increased INT
artillery by six new regiments, lnstea'
Of four as recommended by the fres'
dent The proposed nitrate plant wa
not determined on. nearing VIII d
held on Monday to get the views
army officers on this point IL hh
been proposed to erect such plant $
as TO be independent Of the Chilli nj
trate supply in time OF war the chemi
cal being necessary for the manufact
ure Of explosives. The amount OF ma
,erial or equipment OF the new troop
is also a detail which has yet 10 b
decided on.
A final vote for report on the meas
ure may be taken on Wednesday, anC
the report may be submitted TO th'
House one week from Monday.
The Senate committee has agree
tentatively TO a plan under which
training camps would be authorized II
every Congressional district where suf
icient men volunteered for training
under an obligation for war service
The maximum force 10 be thus raised
in any district would be battalion
or substantially the same number al
proposed for the first year Of the Gar
rison continental army plan. TIT
camps would be under command o.
full compliments Of regular army offi
GERS.
Seek Federalized Militia.
Members Of both the Senate ant
House committees, while saying the!
would support any good plan for fed
eralizng the national guard as frs
line force, frankly admitted to-da,
that they had doubts whether requi
,ite force could be enlisted in the ma
tional guard, even under the proposed
Federal pay and regulation provisions
Representative Kahn, who has advo
Gated an extension Of the busines,
mems training camp idea to all classes
Of citizens who would not eLlist In III,
regulars or the national guard. sale
to-day that, with thirty thousand mer
already enrolled for intensive military
training this summer, without govern
ment aid. he had received assurance
that fully one hundred thousand woulC
be ayailabl next year under his plan
Members Of the Senate committee are
understood 20 take a similar view. The
tentative plan they are considering 4:
in addition to the regular army and
federalized national guard proposals
and is intended TO reach men who
would not be found in either Of those
services.
Several members Of the House com
mittee are in sympathy with the Sen
ate committees proposal for the regu-
lar army, which cOntemplates COM
plete reorganization and peace
strength Of l75,000 men. In the same
way, il is said. members Of the Senate
committee are willing 10 accept the
judgment Of the House body on the
scheme 10 federalize the national