Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-19
AMENDMENT STAGE
OF BIG ARMY BILL
House Will Begin Discussion of
Details in Earnest on
Monday.
TEN-HOUR DEBATE CLOSES
Wilson Approves General Feat
ures, but Not Committed to
All It's Provisions.


paredness. the House army increase
bill reached the amendment stage to-
day after ten hours of one sided gen
cral debate. Tho House will begin
discussion of details I'm earnest on Mon
day, bu, there arc Indications that op-
position toNhc measure az a change i'm
national policy has collapsed No op-
poncnt appeared during the debate, ex-
ccpt Meyer London. the Socialist Rep
resentative from New York.
The Scnate's army bill also will como
UP Monday. with administration lead
crs urging that the Senate sidetrack
all other business until it is disposed
Of Interest ccntcrcd tonight in
President Wilson's attitude as between
these two measures, which differ essen
TALLY.
Chairman Hay. of the House Military
Committee, described the House bill
during debate to-day as the Presi-
dents own bill" Republican Leader
Mann questioned the accuracy of this
description.
Doubtless the President favors the
best he can obtain" said Mr.. Mann.
81 have no doubt he favors IL over
existing law"
Tonight President Wilson let it be
known that. while he approves the
general features Of the Hay bill. he has
not committed himself to its details.
Administration officials are looking to
the conference committee which will
adjust the House and Senate bills af-
ter passage TO produce a measure
which will have the Presidents full
approval.
HAY kRyIN
IS PRESIDENTS OWN
The House military bill ia Pres-
dent Wilson's own bill Chairman Hay.
OF the Military Committee. Informed
the House to-day when debate on the
measure was resumed under the ten
hour rule.
Il may say he said in reply to a
question, lin broad language that this
Is the Presidents bill; that he thor
oughly approves OF it."
Representative Moore, Of Pennsyl-
vania. Republican, said members on
er the bill had the full approval of the
administration.
II am authorized TO state" Chair
man Hay replied. that the bill meets
with the approval Of the President. 1t
mcndations OF his message. 1t goes
a little farther"
Mr., Hay added that, although the
bill did not contain the continental
army provision. the President was sat
lsfied that the proposed LIBERALIZATION
Of the National Guard would accom-
plish the same purpose.
Representative Fields, Democrat, OF
IN W
said the one principle upon which all
agreed was preservation and
self-defense."
sentative Smith, Democrat. Of New
York. said the special act oe Congress
to obtain men to cope with the Mexi-
can situation was sufficient argument
for improving the national defense
CONTINENTAL ARMY SCHEME
SEEMED IMPRACTICAL.
Representative Nichols. Democrat.
of South Carolina said the continental
army scheme had seemed impractical
TO the committee, but the bill substi-
tuted the National Guard for that pro-
posal and accomplished the same OBJ
ject In a practical way.
Army and civilian critics of the
present army and of the National
Guard have overshot their mark. Rep
resentatire Anthony. Republican. of
Kansas said II want TO say that
what army we have to-day is the best
in the world" he added. For it's size,
no army in the world equals it,"
Representative Sherley. chairman Of
the Fortitications Committee. said his
seven years study of coast defenses
had convinced him more men were
needed
Representative Mann. minority lead
er, attacked the bill as being inade-
quatc.
1T seems to me- he said. that this
bill falls far short Of what it ought to
he at this time.
we are having little trouble on
the border of Mexico aud are sending
Il lew soldiers into that country. The
time for this came after we had had
troops on the border for four years in
contemplation ot that very thing. Yet
when this trouble occurred these
troops were not actually sent across
the border until the House had passed
n resolution ordering an increase of
2o'oOo men to take the places OF the
rev soldiers who perchance might
cross.
Never was there more pat iIIus
tration than that OF the fact that the
present army and tho proposed in
crease In IT. while sufficient i'm times
OF actual peace, would not he snni-
cient In time of war, or when any bc-
casion arises for even miniature war.
and to-day we have tho greatest war
OF the ages going on"
WILL NOT UE CAREFUL.
OF INTERESTS or OUTSIDERS
In such war rs that in Europc."
Representative Mann said, neither
Side Will be too careful Of the inter-
csts OF outsiders. We constitute the
greatest neutral power. Would either
England or Germany give much con-
sideration to oven SO good a republic
as Nicaragua? Not at all il. has
not the actual or potential power be-
hind IT. Our Representations arc hccd-
cd because we have that potential
power, ana very largely 1t will no loft
tcontiisaed on Fifth pase.l
ilr- tl..--fti .fs.ts tgs..