The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-24
AN INCREASE OF 10000
Federalized Militia of 100000
Men and System Of Re-
serves Are Features.
KAHNS PROPOSAL IS DEFEATED
By Vote of 1871 to 2I3 Administration
Supporters XIII Plan to Increase
Army to 10000.

The Hay army reorganization bill. the
first OF the administration preparedness
measures. was passed by the House late
Yesterday by vote Of 4o2 to >. The vote
placed the House on record squarely be
hind the President in his program for
Increased national defense.
As it was passed by the House the Hay
bill provides:
l. \ regular army OF 10000 men, an
increase OF $1,000 over the present author
lied strength.
. \ fedcralizcd militia Of 10000 men
under the control OF the Federal GOV
eminent.
5 A system OF reserves. recruited from
retiring members OF both the regular
army and the militia.
:. 4 reserve officers corps OF 5000 re-
cruited from graduates of military
schools under Federal supervision.
). Federal pay for officers and enlisted
men Of the National Guard.
s. Authority for the President and Sec
rotary OF War to make plans for the mo-
Utilization of the industrial resources OF
lue country HI bllllS VI wal
Only Two Oppose Bill.
The two men who voted against the
Hay bill in its final form were Repre-
sentative Fred Britten. OF Illinois. and
Representative Meyer London, the New
York Socialist. Representative Britten
declared that the Hay bill did not con-
stitute a sufficient provision for land de-
Tense, and asserted that he would not
vote for a ridiculous measure. The
Socialist member said he was opposed
to any incEease in the standing army.
BY vote OF 81 to 213. the admin
istration supporters in the House mar
rowly defeated an effort to increase
the regular army provided in the Hay
bill from 1900 to 10000 Representa-
tive Kahn, of California, ranking Re
publican of the House Military Affairs
Committee, offered the amendment
Just before the final vote on the bill
was taken, he secured a record vote
on his proposal. Chairman Hay of the
committee had difficulty in holding
his support together and the vote.
which split party lines badly, defeated
the amendment by only twenty-five
votes
Gardner Ipjects Provision.
Representative Gardner, of Massa-
chusetts. succeeded in forcing into the
bill a provision which practically pro-
vides a one-year enlistment term for
the army His amendment, which was
tentatively adopted yesterday, pro-
vided that while the regular enlist
ment term shall be seven years, the
Secretary Of War may furlough into
the reserve any enlisted man who has
served one year, and whose superior
officer certifies that he is proficient
i'm his duties, and sufficiently trained.
On a record vote. the Gardner amend
mcnt was written into the bill yes
terday. @O4 to 1875.
After a lively debate. the House
struck out of the bill the provision
framed by the Military Affairs Com
mittee. authorizing the government to
cooperate with private interests in the
establishment of hydro-electric plant
for the manufacture of nitrogen from
the air, for use in manufacture Of ex-
pIosives Representative Mackenzie of
Illinois. a Republican member of the
committee, moved to strike out the
section and the House adopted the
amendment on a record vote, 224 to $50.
Volunteer Plan Opposed.
During the days debate. the House
went on record against the volunteer
army plan, which is included in the army
bill Of Senator Chamberlain now before
the Senate Military Affairs Committee
The provision. which would authorize the
President to raise a volunteer force I'M
der such regulations as ne might pre-
scribe. was offered by Representative
Gardner as a substitute for the militia
pay section Of the Hay bill. After some
debate it was voted down without a rec
ord vote.
The labor group in the House yesterday
continued theri effort to place in the
army measure a provision which would
prevent the use Of the Federalized
militia to put down strike disturbances.
Chairman Hay, in charge OF the bill for
the administration, declared that the en-
actment Of the measure into Law. would
make available for the ational defense
l,324790 trained men. These, he said,
would be made up OF the regular army,
and its reserve, the National Guard. and
men who have military training Of some
sort in schools or colleges.