The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-06
War Department Plans Army
to Take Field at Once of Not
Less Than 100000
IMMEDIATE CALL
FOR MEN is COMING
America Will Take No Chances
of Being Taken Off Its Guard
by an Enemy Emergency
Military Bill Prepared !

Washington. April 5.-The cost OF
putting the United states army on a
footing commensurate with the needs
of the nation IN a modern war viii he
nearly $4,000. 600 oae
Estimates today furnished the house
OF representatives by Secretary of the
Treasury McAdoo. on behalf Of the war
department call for a total Of $2.932.
53s, %3s, for national defense"
Accom- anNing the estimates deliy-
cred to the hoxse hy Secretary Nc
Adoo was a statement from Secretary
Of War Baker. 1t was very brief 1t
offered no details as to the exact use
it was put. 1t was simply the esti
mute of the necessary war credit of
the nation on the eve Of great in
ternatioual war. II said:
For military expenditures under
the war department necessary for the
national defense and for each and every
purpose connected herewith, to nc
expended by the secretary of war under
such regulations as the president may
prescribe. and 10 be immediately avail
able and remain available until ex-
pended. s2g32.537. s3S.
other Estimates increase sum.
Because of tho war, however. other
estimates today were submitted. which
carry the total forward to more than
three and one-haIf billions in addition
to the prodigious sum asked for the
army
The following arc the items
For eXtr1prd.nary expenses of tnc
naval establishment, $292 5SS7se To
bring To high state of efficiency the
coastal communication s. stem Of the
coast guard, &" 06a. For an increase
in the enlisted strength of the navy
and marine corps to 10000 and So
ooo men respectively. st75,s55.iei. De
partnent of justice for the suppression
Of crimes against the United States
$3e0 acc. Additional watchmen for the
state. war and navy buildings $eSS0o
Civl. service commission, additional
employees because Of extreme WORK in
eideut to national defense exigencies
$20.0e1. \ special defense fund under
the control Of the President. s10o geo :
00e
This II was admitted was but the
beginning. a generous beginning it is
true but tho beginning nevertheless
OF the expenditures fer war which =
To come.
To Put 100000 In Field
\ conference At the Capitol today be-
tween Secretary of war Baker and Sem
ar0r Chamberlain, of Oregon, chair
man OF the committee on military af-
fairs. is regarded as conclusive of the
hrst outline OF The plans for raising
the land nghting force OF the nation.
The measure providing for an irnme-
diate draft OF a sufficient number OF
men 10 put am army of 100000 men
in the held viii bc introduced in both
houses of congress once the resolution
declaring the existence of d state of
war is out Of the way.
1t was made clear by Senator Cham
herlain that the bill to Increase the
army for immediate war needs would
be a separate measure from the uni
versal military training bill. The lat
ter bin is reGarded as a measure of
permanent need for the nation. The
bill upon which the finishing touches
We're placed today is the emergency
bill.
One after the other the two meas
ures will be rushed through the con-
gress, 1t is believed that opposition
in considerably smaller measure than
that which fought the war resolution
viii follow Nearly all or the so-caIied
pacifist group in congress have prom
Used that once their efforts have failed
to stop actual hostilities they will give
loyal support to every effort to
strengthen the hands of the president
N emergency