Evening star., 1918-07-05
ARMY BILL NEARLY
READY TO REPORT
Record Appropriations Final
Stage In Conference Under
Way Today.
FEW DISPUTES REMAIN


With only few disputes remaining,
Senate and House conferees on the
$4,000 100000 Army bill met today
for what they hoped was their last
session to prepare the record-breaking
measure for final action of Congress.
The points still in difference were
Senate amendments authorizing pro-
nation Of Provost Marshal General
Crowder to be a lieutenant general;
providing increased rank for Medical
Corps officers and empowering the
President to appoint two major gen.
erals "at large"
Principal Items Provided.
As agreed to so far by the con-
ferees. the bill carries appropriations
of $12,os5 100000. an increase OF
$4,000. 900 over the aggregate au-
.thorized by the House. and decrease
of $4,000 900 from that provided by
tions-an left unchanged-in include the
following: Ordnance and ammuni-
tion. $4,000. 100000; clothing: s1;2soo,,
100000; machine guns. $5!5, ,ooo'ooo;
armored motor cars. s347.ooo, 900;
transportation. $l.532,0o0.o00, and avia-
tion, 1884. .000. 900.
Retained without amendment in the
bill is the provision giving the Presl-
dent unlimited authority to increase
the size of the Army by further calls
through the draft. The bill contains
no legislation changing the draft age
vtNatfa ht,t rnnferaeg
cepted Senate amendments to change
the basis of state draft quotas from
total populations to the number OF
men in class I. Also written into the
bill are Senate amendments providing
for registration of subjects of the
allies made liable by treaty. like the
recent British reciprocal draft treaty,
to American service. The conferees
struck out an amendment by Senator
France of Maryland to authorize a
Foreign Nationality Question.
The Senate amendment eanceling
plying for American citizenship who
set up their foreign nationality as
q claim for exemption from the draft,
and forever debarring them from
American citizenship, was retained by
the conferees.
oA i1HPoi tahI SSSiSiotIOu dQQ6Q Dy
the Senate. the House conferees yield
ed and accepted the amendment of Sem
ator Hitchcock of Nebraska. which
President Wilson had approved, pro-
viding for q volunteer organization, to
be known as the Slavic Legion" COM
posed of Czecho-Slovaks and other peo-
pies oppressed by Germany and Aus
tria- The conferees, however. struck
out the amendments of Senator King
OF Utah. proposing a Russian Legion
n N q lGA "a
tion for "pan-American army" which
propose training and equipping foreign
troops in this country.
The Senate amendment authorizing
organization of a $100,0o0,000 aircraft
production corporation was accepted
BY the House managers, who also an
proved allotments-of $100, 900 to the air
craft production board for administra-
tive expenses and an amendment pro-
hibiting denial of Aviation Corps com
missions to men because of lack of col
lsge education.
Other Senate Amendments,
Other Senate amendments retained
Appropriatins $a3.350.ooo for COM
mutations to officers for their families
while In the field at home or abroad.
Providing minimum pay Of $1,000 for
Army field clerks. with foreign service
o1lOWauCeS.
Extending longevity service pay to.
Army men not belonging to the regu-
lar force.
Providing for bonus allowances to
workmen to speed up production.
Raising to fifty-hve years the age
hmitfor volunteer Army stan service.
Additional legislation to protect SOL
dfers from social vices.
.Appropriating S316,00O for extending
the Leon Springs, Tex, military reser-
walton, and $4,000 to connect Omaha
water mains with Fort Crook.
Authorizing sale of rifles to the Ma
tional Rife Association.
Amendments Rejected.
Among Senate amendments rejected
BY the House managers and stricken
from the bill were:
Authorizing the President to COM
mandeer timber and lumber and con.
duct logging operations.
Extending War Department author
Authorizing three regiments Of
mounted volunteers. proposed by
Senator Fall Of New Mexico.
Proposing an appropriation Of $780,
900 Tor filtration plant at Fort Sill
and Camp Doniphan. Okla. offered by
Senator Gore Of Oklahoma.
proposing blanket authority for the
war Department to buy or lease real
Assuring men in the service of their
former government positions after
the war.
: To extend war risk insurance bene.
hts to woman telegraph and telephone
operators overseas.
For service badges to men dis
charged from the Army or rejected
by the draft.
The conference rejected proposed
appropriation of s25o.oo0 to pay rela-
tives OF Americans killed in Mexican
border raids. but retained a preiini-
nary appropriation of $71, 900 for that