Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-12
ACT Of GARRISON
HELPS SITUATION
New Note of Harmony and
Cooperation on De-
fense Problems
ASSURED OF SUPPORT
House Committee Expresses Apprecia.
tion Of Presidents Confidence in
Congress.

Congress.
Washington, Feb. IA new note
of harmony and cooperation on ma
tional defense problems was struct
in the House Military Committee yes.
terday, direct result of the resigna-
ton of Secretary Garrison of the War
Department. 1t found expression in
TIL: adoption of a resolution declaring
the committees appreciation of the
confidence President Wilson reposed
in it and the Senate committee and
disclosed in the correspondence with
Secretary Garrison.
The nonpartisan character of the
resolution was revealed by the fact
that it was offered by Representative
Kahn, ranking Republican member of
the committee.
Members of both congressional COM
mittees declared that the War Sec
retary's withdrawal had brought out
sharply the Presidents desire that
Congress should work out its army
problems in the light of its own best
judgment, despite his personal prefer
ence for the continental army scheme
advocated by Mr.. Garrison and the
Army War College. The net result.
they agreed, was erarifcation of the
congressional atmosphere here. and
the assurance of support for the bill
that viii BE drafted from elements OF
both the Democratic and Republican
sides that heretofore had been count
ed against the measures.
In substance, it is believed. the bills
will represent an effort to make effec-
tive virtually all of the plans of the
War Department, with the exception
that liberalization on the National
Guard will be sought as a substitute
for the continental army plan. :,
Steps toward beginning the drafting
of the masurcs were taken by both
House and Senate committees. Both
will take up the work ON Monday
and it is planned to hold al day ses-
sions whenever the business Of the
two houses will permit.
The House committee brought to a
close hearings on s1my plans, and
the elaborate volume of the testimony
was prepared, so there would be as
little delay as possible, either in COM
mittee consideration. or in the COM
ing struggle on the floor. Similar
stsps were taken by the Senate com.
mittee. =;
Present indications arc that tht
House bill will lay its stress upon pro.
visions designed to federalize the Ma
tional Guard, while the Senate com
mittee's main effort will go into the
regular army angles of preparedness:
plans. The final measure sent to the
President for his Signature will be
compromise. it is thought, each house
being willing to accept the judgmen
of the other to large extent in it
own particular field.
The House bill, it is expected. vii
provide for payment of nationa
guardsmen who comply with all regu
lations laid down by Congress on
basis sufficiently liberal to insure tn
recruiting of approximately 4oO,Oo
men, the ultimate size of the propose'
continental army. To make certain
the availability for Federal use i
time of war or great emergency of a
men who participate in this payment
the plan contemplates authorizing tn
President to draft them into a volur
teer army.
Members of the committee are VII
tually unanimous in the opinion tina
Congress has full constitutional al
thority to enact such measure an
that it can be so formulated to witt
stand any attack through the court
The system proposed provides fe
the coordination of elistment pc
iods, physical standards and the e:
; aminations which officers appolnte
by State authorities must pass
we'll as for an adequate reserve sE
tern for the guard and for standar'
lied method of recruiting to fill
the wastage Of regiments sent to Il
! front.
4 Provisions also will be made und