Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-08-23
Chairman Hay Had Slipped In
Provision Rendering immune
Retiring Officer Who
Planned Attack.
IGNORED WILSON'S WISH
White House Rebukes Congress-
man Who Has Distracted De-
velopment of Army at Every
Stage For Years.

Washington. d. c.. Aug. 19.-Presi-
dem Wilson today vetoed the army APP
preparation bill because of exceptions
from discipline for retired officers
forced into it by the House conferes
led by Representative Hay, over the
opposition of the president. A new bill
will be necessary and may delay adj
journment of congress-.
Representative Hay said he would
reintroduce the bill in the lou inn
mcdiately with the features to which
the president objected eliminated.
Paved Way For Attack.
There is a broad intimation that the
revision which proposed to remove re-
tired officers from h jurisdiction Of
courtmartials vas in the interest of a
certain retired officer who was wait
ing for a time when he would be i'm
niue from discipline to make a public
attack on Tho army The officer whose
name was mentioned in connection
active in legislative affairs, was very
close to congressman framing army
bills and until his retirement was reck-
oned with as a power in legislation af-
fecting the army.
Has Fought Wilson.
The presidents veto of the bill is
one of the developments of years of
contest between the army and Chair
man Hay. The downfall Of the con-
tinental army scheme and substitution
of the national guard reorganization
against the recommendation of the
army officers is attributed to him. Only
the force of President Wilson'S inter
ference put the regular army increase
in the new reorganization bill through
the House in the face of Hays OPP
position. Recently President Wilson
appointed Hay to a judgeship on the
court of claims n he nov is serving
his last term in congress-.
The war department contends that
many features of the army bill were
written into it in the conference and
" We're debated in House or SEN
ate.
Text Of Message.
President Wilson'S veto message fol-
lows:
ITO the House of Representatives
/ have carefully considered the bill en-
titled An act making appropriations
for the support of the army for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1917, and
now take the liberty of returning it
with my objections to it's approval.
The bill constitutes a part of the
legislation providing for the military
establishment Of the country and wisely
and generously provides for the re-
organization of the agencies of our ma
III ASlStisc anu II is WllH genuine
reluctance that l delay it's becoming
law by suggesting the elimination Of
one of the provisions which had been
embodied in the very necessary and
important revision of the articles of
war which has been added TO it.
THE existing articles of war are UNI
doubtedly archaic. They nave not UNI
dergone revision for more than 100
years. They do not always furnish
h means of meeting promptly and
directly the needs of discipline under
modern conditions and many contin-
gencies now frequently arising in the
government OF the military forces,
which We're not contemplated when the
present code was formulated. The re-
lations of the government of the Uni
ted States have been greatly broad
ened in the last 100 years. We now
have insular possessions and national
interests far away from our continent
al shores. Both the practice of arms
and the theory of discipline have I'M
dergone many modern changes and
a manifest need for such a revision of
these articles as is here presented has
long existed. I, therefore, the more
keenly regret to find. in the proposed
articles of war a provision to which
l cannot give my approval.