Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-28
AMERICAN ARMY
IS OVER 100000;
PLANES OVER 5000
Chairman Dents Report Dis
closes Vast Military Prepar-
atoms Appropriations Suf-
fiCient for 100000 Men

WASHINGTON. May 25.-America
has built up an army of more than
1000. 600 men, counting the April and
May calls.
And. contrary to the general impress
sion. a goodly number Of -airplanes are
in this country and France. These two
inspiring facts stood out in the report
of Chairman Dent on the army appro-
priations bill submitted officially 20
the house in advance OF next weeks
house action on the measure.
The report showed that from nu-
cleus of a regular army of 1888 Of
ficers and men and a national guard
of 1So,420 officers and men April l,
1917, the United States has formed
mighty fighting force totalling $780,
OF. with appropriations framed to pro
vide readily for 100000 this year.
However. the presidents power will be
such as to permit him to extend to any
rigure he sees fit, provided the com
mittee's favorable recommendation s
followed on that point.
1915 Planes in France
The report showed that there are
1876 flying machines in France. includ-
ing over 500 combat planes, while there
are more than 800 machines in this
country. The report listed the aviation
personnel at 12,107 officers and 1S6,761
men. including 4,O54 filters, while there
are 81 aviation camps in the country
The appropriations are\ so vast as to
accommodate 100000 this year. &C
cording to committee members esti-
mates.
Chairman Dent pointed out that while
mistakes and delays had occurred, I'VE
think tbs country and congress should
be congratulated that after little more
than a year after the date of the decla-
ration OF war, our country has con-
structed a wonderful military estab-
lishment.'
Table Shows Strength
The extent of this establishment is
told in concrete terms in the commit
tees table of present strength:
Total regular army Officers. 1925
Total enlisted men in regular
army ........-....... OO4,bt1
Total officers of reserve corps. 79,03S
Total enlisted men of reserve
corps NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. fSso6O
Total officers national guard. 1896
Total enlisted men national
guard ...--....-.. 4ll,9 o2
Total officers national army. 1884
Total enlisted men national
army .-.......-....... =. Ole, $50
MS makes q total OF l4O.VS0 OIL
GERS and 1,506,152 men, which. with the
APRIL and May draft calls. brings the
strength of the army TO the 2.030,027
mark.
Suppression of numbers as 10 present
and future troop transportation over
seas except when officially authorized
was asked of the press today by Sec
rotary of War Baker.
He expressed himself as anxious to
avoid creation of false impressions or
expectations in the public mind, but
promised he would occasionally give
figures as to the army's size. For in
stance. he suggested it was unwise for
the press to speculate that at such a
time so many troops would be across
inasmuch as food transport or other
circumstances might alter anticipations.
And the department did not care to be
in the position of letting press i'm
pressions prevail as a standard for the
future when uncomfortable conditions
might prevent fulfillment. 1t was evil
dent Secretary Bakers main purpose
was to avoid the situation which arose
from "over-advertising" the aircraft
program-namely that the press predic-
lions were not met and the government
was made a target for criticism. This
does not mean, however, that recently
stated preOlCllONS are "AOuS VI ONCA
optimistic.
Bakers statement follows:
secretary's Statement
a good deal of public comment,
through the press and otherwise, is be-
ing made on the subject of the number
of American troops in France from time
TO time and the number In transporta-
ton. I want to ask the newspapers of
the country to refrain from comment
and speculation on this subject except
TO the extent that official statements in
regard to such numbers arr made by
the secretary of war. I make this re-
quest because this program of troop
shipments necessarily depends upon a
variety of considerations quite apart
from the number of troops in the coun-
try and the available number of troop
sbips in the country ami ] am very
anxious that the people Of the country
be not unintentionally misled as to the
facts at any given time or by specula-
/ tive possibilities of the situation.
will endeavor, from time to time, and
/ whenever il can be done, to state
through the press. approximate num-