The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-02-17
WINS CONGRESS
TO DEFENSE PLAN
HOUSE S6ooY VoFEs GRATITUDE
wv ,aTUad 9sFIt
rw ITO WILSON,
GARRISON LETTERS THE REASON
Approves Stand Taken by the Presl-
dent In War Seeretary's Res
Ignation. Regular Army
is Favored.


Washington, Feb. ia new note
of harmony and cooperation on ma
tional defense problems was struck in
the house military committee as d.
rect result of the resignation of Sec
rotary Garrison of the war depart
ment. 1t found expression in the
adoption of a resolution declaring the
committees appreciation Of the conf
dence President Wilson reposed in it
and in the senate committee, as dis
closed in his correspondence with Mr..
Garrison.
The nonpartisan character Of the
feeling was emphasized by the fact
that the resolution was offered by Rep
resentative Kahn of California, rank
ing Republican member of the COM
mittee. =. .....
Wins Much Support.
Members of both the congressional
committees declared that the war sec
retary's withdrawal had brought out
sharply the presidents desire that con-
gress should work out its army prob
lens in the light Of its own best judg-
ment, despite his personal preference
for the continental army scheme advo,
Gated by Mr.. Garrison and the army
war college. The net result, they.
agreed, was an assurance of support
from elements of both the Democratic
and Republican sides that had here.
,tofore been counted against the meas
ures. III. g.
In substance, it is believed, the
bills will represent an effort to make
effective virtually all of the plans Of
the war department With the excep-
ton that liberalization of the National
Guard will be sought as a substitute
for the continental army plan.
Public Hearings Ended, ....I
Final steps toward beginning the
drafting of the measures were taken
by both house and senate committees,
which ended their public hearings. q
The house bill, it is expected, will
provide for payment of national
guardsmen who comply with all ,regu-
lations laid down by congress on
basis sufficiently liberal to insure the
recruiting of approximately 100000
men. To make certain the available
ity for federal use in time of war or
great emergency of all men who par
ticipate in this payment, the plan con-
templates authorizing the president to
draft them into a volunteer army
Provision also will be made under
which the quota of troops to be fur
nished by each state and the proper
lions Of artillery, cavalry, engineers,
signal corps and other special service
troops would be determined by the
war department. Special federal APP
preparations will be proposed for the
maintenance Of these more costly spe-
cial arm troops by the states.
May Get $4,000 Regulars.
The situation in the senate commit
tee is not so well crystallized. 1t is
indicated, however, that its legislation
for the regular army will include sub
stantially all of the plans of the war
college as to organization, and that it
will be accompanied by a regular army
reserve act designed to build up and
maintain force more than equal in
number to the force with the colors.
Short enllstments will be proposed
AS to the size of the standing army
the men with the colors---it Is in
dictated that the senate bill will ex-
coed the increase of 10000 men asked
by Secretary Garrison and many sem
ators, will urge the full 100000 total
strength sought by the war college.
Chairman Chamberlain has prepared
bill carrying out the plan of 1912,
devised by the war college, and
which would provide force with the
colors of approximately 100000 men.
1t was reported without very def
mite authority that the house would
be willing to accept the senate's regu-
lar army plans, even on basis of 2O0,-
900 men with the colors, provided the
National Guard liberalization plans
went through. ...