The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-03-30
ROUSF FOR ARMY INCREASE
HAY BILL CALLING FOR 100000
MEN PASSED, 4O2 TO 2.
Measure Now Goes to Senate.-Nega-
tive Votes Cast by Britten, Repub-
ican, and London, Socialist.

Eican, and London, Socialist.
Washington, March 23.-The Hay
army increase bill, providing for a
regular army peace strength of 140,-
900 fighting men instead of the pres
ent 100000, passed the house late
today by a vote of 402 to 2. 1t goes
to the senate for immediate consider
alton virtually as drafted by the
house committee.
The negative votes were cast by
( Representatives Britten, Republican,
Of Illinois, and London, Socialist, of
New York.
Mr.. Britten opposed the bill be-
cause he favored still further in
crease in the army and Mr.. London
s because he favored no increase.
The bill is the first of the great ma
Z tional preparedness measures urged
! by President Wilson to pass either
1 house, although various related
measures have been approved. 1t
was finally adopted only after Repre-
sentative Kahn, ranking Republican
member of the military committee,
had again met defeat, this time 2lS
to 191, in his effort to increase the
authorized strength of the regulars
( to 100000
During the debate Chairman Hay
3 of the committee which drew the bill,
referred to it as ''the presidents own
I BILL
It was explained at the white
house, however, that while the presi-
dent approved the ground plan OF
the measure, he was not committed to
its details. The conference on the
senate and house plans, to come after
& the senate acts, is expected by ad-
ministration officials to produce
a bill which will have the president S
full support.
Sent to Senate.
81 The measure went to the senate
tonight and the way has been cleared
{ for consideration of it to begin there
next Monday.
Besides providing for 100000 en-
listed men as the peace strength OF
the standing army, exclusive OF Of
6cers, hospital and quartermasters'
8 corps and unassigned recruits, the
bill as passed by the house provides
& for the building up of force of 425,-
$ 600 federalized National Guardsmen
in five years. It. provides for an Of
I fcer reserve corps of $4,000, for a
complete industrial reserve and for
new recruiting systems for both the
regular army and the National Guard.
4 1t also contains an authorization for
summer training camps, from which
q third force of federal volunteers is
sexpeeted to grow, and provides that
National Guardsmen who will receive
the benefits of the militia pay feature
of the bill shall be subject to imme-
date draft into the federal service in
war time.
Nearer to Senate Bill.
M During the process of amendment
in the house the bill was brought 'ap-
preciably closer to the measure pre-
pared blythe senate committee in sew
eral respects. Important among
these was the insertion of the senate
bills provisions as to the regular
!. army enlistments, which are expect
ed to rapidly produce the desired
reservists. On this section Chair
man Hay, of the military committee
the bills sponsor, was defeated. The
only other impoi tant amendment,
carried by vote of 224 to '1SO, de-
spite his opposition was that striking
ont the entire section which proposed
ito have the government embark into
a nitrogen manufacture project,
which aroused opposition on the
ground that it involved immense ex-
penditures in conjunction with pri-
vate enterprise.