Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-27
Federal Army Reserve Grows
in Favor as Members of Mill
tary Committees Of Both
Houses Consider Question,
NATIONAL GUARD Is
BECOMING A PROBLEM
Doubt Expressed Whether Suf-
ficient Force Can Be Enlist
ed in Militia Under Scheme
Which Has Been Proposed.


Washington, Feb. 26.---A growing
tendency to provide for federal
army reserve in addition to the regu-
lar army and federalized national
guard was manifest today in both the
house and senate military commit
tees. Members Of both committees
said they favored n practical test of
the possibility of forming a federal
volunteer army in peace times on
lines somewhat similar to the con-
tinental army plan. The apparent in
tention to abandon the continental
project wholly was one of the causes
leading up to the resignation Of Sec
retary Garrison.
The house committee agreed today
upon the general terms of a bill ii ex-
poets to get before the house within
ten days providing for regular army
with an authorized peace strength Of
$4,000 men; federalized national
guard which would reach n fixed
minimum strength of $4,000 in five
years; adequate reserve systems fof
both of these forces; and organization
of civilian training camps with wide
discretion reposed in the war depart
ment as to the terms of enlistment
training and government.
The senate committee has agreed
tentatively to a plan under which
training camps would be authorized In
every congressional district where
sufficient men volunteered for train
ing under an obligation for war serv-
ice. The maximum force to be thus
raised in any district would be a bat
talon, or subsequently the same mum
Der as proposed for the first year OF
the Garrison continental arm plan
The camps would be under command
of full compliments Of regular army
officers.
Difficulties In Plan.
Members Of both committees, while
saying they would support any good
plan for federalizing the national
guard, as q first line force, frankly
admitted today that they had doubts
whether a requisite force could be
enlisted in the national guard even
under the proposed federal pay and
regulation provisions. Representative
Kahn, who has advocated an exten-
sion of the business men training
camp idea of all classes of citizens
who would not enlist in the regulars
or the national guard, said today that
with 10000 men already enrolled for
intensive military training this sum
mcr he had received assurances that
fully 100000 would be available next
year under his plan.
Members of the senate committee
are understood to take a similar view.
The tentative plan they are consid-
ering is in addition to the regular
army and federalized national guard
proposals and is intended to reach
men who would not be found in either
of those services.
The house committee arrived at its
regular army figures today as a com
promise after suggestions of a peace
strength Of 100000, 10000 and 1907
900 had been voted down by narrow
ing margins. A bipartisan vote
finally fixed upon $4,000 or 1000
more than recommended by the war
department, with a provision designed
to allow percentage of over-enlist-
ment to maintain that strength at all
times. With this provision the total
strength authorized would be $4,000.
'ro provide officers to carry out work
of instruction at schools, among mi
litia regiments and for other special
duties 1000 additional men in the
commissioned personnel was agreed
upon as against an increase of fS6
proposed by the war department.