New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-05-24
No LIMIT TO Army
wilson CAN RAISE
Military Committee Votes to Give
Him Complete Authority

Washington, May 24.-On recon-
mendation Of Secretary Baker, who
appeared before the house commit
tee on military affairs yesterday, the
committee agreed to give President
Wilson authority to raise an army of
practically unlimited size.
The committee unanimously adopt
ed the language proposed by Secre-
tary Baker and assured him that if
point Of order should be made
against it's adoption by the house a
special rule would be obtained to
force its passage as part of the army
bill.
The text of the provision which
Secretary Baker suggested, incor-
porated in the bill to be reported
Saturday, reads:
THE president is hereby author
lied to draft, subject to the provi-
sions of the selective service act and
all acts amendatory thereto, as many
equipped, trained and used during
each fiscal year until the successful
termination of the war"
This provision gives the president
the extended power he sought, and
with the wide authority conferred by
the Overman act to coordinate and
combine bureaus and departments,
vastly enlarges his supervision of the
conduct of the war.
Representative S. Hubert Dent
chairman of the military commit
tee, who was at first opposed to Civ
ing unlimited authority to the presi-
cent, announced after the meeting of
tho committee that he would ADAM
don his plan to limit the size Of the
army to 100000.
AS the unlimited power clause in
the army bill can be eliminated by
a point of order on the ground that
it is new legislation, the committee
intends to obtain a special rule to
prevent such a point being raised
successfully. The point may not be
raised if the matter is fully present
ed to the house. Those who are OPP
posed to the theory of giving the
president unlimited authority, say
that congress will not lose it's power
tC prevent the president from going
to an extreme not sanctioned by
congress. In case the president
should call for an army of a size that
may be too large in the, opinion of
congress, they say, congress could
refuse an appropriation for the pur-
pose, and thereby limit the presi-
dents action.
1--WE want to give the President
everything he asks for" said Repre-
sentative Fields of Kentucky, ranking
Democratic member of the commit
tee. eff he wants Is, 100000 men, he
can have them. If he wants $780,
COO, 900, he can have that. We do
rot intend to limit him in any way.
There is no limit on the Presidents
decision and no appeal from it, except
that Congress may refuse to make
the necessary appropriation. But
Congress will not do this while the
war is in progress, and therefore, the
President, to all intents and purposes.
has the unlimited authority he seeks
The policy of the Administration,
acting under this unlimited authority,
will be to keep calling into service
and training the drafted men as fast
as they can be transported to Europe.
During the first ten days of May, 90
900 soldiers were sent abroad. At
this rate the American Army will be
augmented by nearly 100000 each
month But with more ships being
put into commission each day, the
transportation facilities are increas-
ing, and as they increase it is pro-
posed to increase the size of the
army. AS long as the need for men
exists and until Germany is decisively
defeated it is the intention, if the bill
in it's present form becomes a law, to
keep sending men over in a constant
ly increasing stream. Tentative plans
of War Department contemplate an
immediate army of 8 100000 men.
The bill, as it will be reported, car
ries appropriations and thorizations
of about s12, 500, 100000. The appro-
priations amount to something over
$4,000, 100000 and the authorizations
reach $780, 100000. In addition,
about 5000 900, 900 for the War De-
partment for heavy artillery is con-
tanned in the Fortifications bill, now