The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-24
HAY BILL, INCREASING
ARMY TO 100000 MEN
IS ADOPTED, 4O2 TO z
Party Lines Swept Away AS Representative Hays Meas
ure Comes Before House-Kahn Amendment For
Further Increase Defeated Nitrate Plant Provis-
ion Fails.

wa shington March 24-Pesident
Wilson won a signal victory in the
House of Representatives yesterday
afternoon when the Hay Army Pre-
paredness Bill passed that body BY a
vote of 402 to 2 The measure raises
the peace strength of the army from
100 600 to 100000 men. Representative
Britten. Republican, of Illinois, and
Representative Meyer London, Social
list of New York, were the only MEM
bers who registered their votes against
the act.
Just as the President had desired,
the vote disclosedi that party lines had
been swept away.
KOne of the most significant votes
taken during the day was on the
alnendment of Representative Kahn
a. California to Increase the standing
army to 100000 Mr.. Kahn received
the support of 191 members for ms
proposition, while 213 voted to sus--
tain the chairman of the Military Al
fairs committee Thirty-four RepuD-
leans voted with Chairman Hay, as
Follows:
REPRESENTATIVE Anthony and Camp
bell, Kansas; Brown, Esch and Mel
son, Wisconsin,: Cooper, Fess, Hol-
lfngsworth, McCuloch. Ricketts, and
Mooney. Ohio; Cramton, Michigan;s
Davis and Lindbergh, Minnesota; Hell
gesen, Norton and Young. North Da-
kota: Green, Haugen, ToWner, WOODS
and Ranseyer. Iowa; Kinka1d and
sloan. Nebraska; La Toilette. Wash
sngton; McCracken, idaho; Mckenzie
Rodemberg and sterling, Illinois; Nee
kar, Missouri; Mondell, Wyoming;'
Morgan, Oklahoma; Dillon South Da-
Aota. and TimberIake, Colorado
There were 33 Democrats who voted
FOR the increase in the standing army,
as Follows:
Bruckner, caldwell. Carew, conry.
Dale, pooling, DriscoH, Farley, FLYNN,
Hubert. Lofe, Maher, Og1esby, Pat
ten, Riordan and Smith, New York;
Isoriand. Missouri; Burke. Wisconsin, e4oll,
CDady, Maryland; Eagan. Ham1H,
Hart and Scully. New Jersey; CAL
lagher, McAndrews McDermott and
Stone, Illinois; Gallivan. Olney, Phefan
and Tague, achusetts; O'Shaun-
essy. Rhode Island. and Montague.
McGillicuddy, Democrats Of Maine.
was the only member from New Eng
land who voted against the increased
array. with the exception of Repre-
ssntatives Fitzgerald, Democrat, and
London, Socialist, the New York deli
egation voted so1idly for the Kahn
amendment, while the entire delega-
ton from New Jersey gave it their
support.
The strength shown for the Kahn
= amendment in the House gives every
sindicatton that before the Army Pre-
pAredness Bill is finally agreed upon
in conference, larger increase in the
standing army will be provided than
authorized by yesterdays action Mr.
Kahn says he feels confident that the
number viii be increased to 100000 be-
lore it goes to the President for his
signature.
committee that an appropriation
shouts be authorized by Congress for
the, construction of a nitrate plant by
the government when the question
came TO a test vote yesterday it was
defeated.N Only 100 votes were record
ed in favor Of sustaining the commit
tees action, while PA members voted
to strike out the paragraph Members
did not divide on party ines on this
proposition, many Democrats voting
against the proposed plant because
they were opposed to government own
ership.
The closest vote was on the
amendment of Representative Gard
ner Of Massachusetts providing that
after the expiration of one years hon
orable service, any enlisted man of
the army whose commander may re-
port him proficient and sufficiently
trained may be furIoughed to the re-
galar army reserve. He shall not be
eligible to re-enlist in the service un-i
til the expiration of his term of seven
years While Chairman Hay was op-
posed to this amendment, it was
adopted by a vote of 2O4 ayes against
198 nays
As passed today the bill increases
the regular army by ten regiments of
infantry, six regiments of field artil-
lery, dfty-two companies of coast ar
tiflery, fifteen companies of engineers
and four aero squadrons, as well as
ian additional T,450 officers
The Hay bill now goes to the Sem
ate Committee on Military Affairs,
where changes viii be made to suit
the ideas of preparedness of the
members of this committee. The,
House measure will form the basis
with the amendments which will be
Offered. ~
Senator works of California said In
the Senate yesterday that big nnan-
cia1 interests are back OF the move
Inent for a large army and a large
navy
'sThe great corporations and finan-
cfers of the country and men engag-
ed in foreign trade and commerce
want a strong army and navy in their
own interests" said he. They are
the real powers behind this prepared
ness movement. It is their money,
believe, that is sdbsfdizng newspa-
pers and magazines and Financing the
campaign OF fear that has set the
Nation wild with apprehension of
danger that exists only in magma
ton. PIutocracy, the combination of
enormous wealth in the hands of
Few, leaOS TO f11ntar1sInS ana m1l1Iar-
ism when established will perpetuate
and increase the money powers that
even now threatens the perptuity of
our free institute ons.
what this country needs today is
not protection from foreign nations,
but defense against the aggressive in
fuences Of the power of money in the
hands Of a selfish and grasping few of
it's own citizens. The dangers that
threaten us are within and not with
out, and that danger will be enor-
mously increased by the establishment
Sof a great military force.
This is not to say that we should