Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-19
SENATE BILL PROVIDES
ARMY OF MILLION MEN
In Face of Grave Developments.
Measure Is Passed Without
Recorded Vote.
SCENE ONE OF EXCITEMENT
Amendments tn Reduce Proposed
Strengthening Of Country'S Mill
tary Force Repeatedly Rejected.
Volunteer Army Provision Wins.
SCENE ONE OF EXCITEMENT

wASItINGTON, April lS.-An army
reorganization bill that would produce
regular army and reserve military
forces in the United States aEEreeatlng
a million men was passed by the Sen
ate tonight without recorded vote.
ON tho eve OF n joint session OF the
Houses OF Congress to hear message
from the Pres,dcn; Oh grave intcrna-
tional issues. the Senate FASTENED com
pletion OF the bill amid scenes OF eN-
ci;ement. repeatedly rejecting all
amendments pending TO reduce the pro-
posed strengthening OF the army.
In the closing hours Of debate the
Senate made provision for regular
standing army with peace strength of
1000 mcn. as compared with 10000
in the Hay bill which passed the House.
retained after close fight The plan
for Federal volunteer army reserve
force calculated 10 aggregate 26l 900
men and federalIZc the National Guard
forces of the States at an estimated
strength Of 2So.oco.
SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CoRPS
Is PROVIDED IN MEASURE
In addition TO this combined regular
and reserv. force of 100000 an amend
ment was passed 10 create n school and
college youths reserve corps In time
OF war or threatened war which would
recruit force of trained Young men.
schooled by officers OF tho regular army,
the estimated strength of which is any
where from 100000 TO 10000
We are creating here tonight a
peace army of million men" declared
Senator Myers. in supporting ar
amendment OF Senator Reed to make
the regular army 100000 The Senate
mad agreed previously ny vote OF 4a
TO - TO an amendment by Senator
Brandegce increasing it from the pro-
posed strength of 10000 10 100000.
The Reed reduction proposal was re-
jectcd 42 10 81, after 3 brief spe,c cb bv
senator Williams in which he referred
to the solemnity of the occasion ,ybic,,
would confront Congress tomorrow.
The apparently grave DEVELOPMENTS
or the few hours preceding the massage
OF the bill probably also served ,o saw.
the volunteer army provision. Cham.
pions Of the National Guard rourht !,
bitterly In tho committee of the whole
and 1t was retained by vote OF "a to
-" Tonight Senator Lewis again
was saved this time by vote OF 40
to 81.
IMPORTANT PROVISIONS
NOT IN HOUSE BILL
Other important provisions OF Tho
Senate bill not in the House measure
include the following:
Approximation Of $4,000. 600 for con-
structton OF government plants for
production of nitrates to be used i'm
manufacture OF ammunition.
Provision for vocational education
of enlisted men of the regular army
compelling instruction. either In agri-
culture or the mechanical arts
Creation OF n National Guard section
in the general staff OF the army. and
requiring all officers and enlisted men
Of the National Guard to subscribe
to an oath ID support the United states
as we'll as the respective States
Provision for Federal pay for all
National Guard officers above tho rank
Of captain.
Because Of the radical differences Il
is expected that the House will at once
ask for "a conference. and that work
Of pcrfcctins the final form uf n new
army measure will begin within few
days.