Evening journal., 1918-05-03
Wilson ASKS power
TO Raise BIC ARMY
Wants Congress TO Remove
Limit So He May Call as
Many as Needed
BAKER PRESENTS
THE REQUEST

WASHINGTON, May 3.-President VIII
limit on the number Of men that may
be drafted for army service and to give
him authority to summon as many mil
lions as are necessary to defeat Ger
many. The request was made through
Secretary Baker yesterday when he ap-
peared before the House Committee on
Military Affairs with the si6,OOOOOOOOO
army Appropriation bill.
In a conference with the committee,
Secretary Baker, accompanied by Major
Gen. March, Acting Chief Of Staf, and
Provost Marshal General Crowder, pre-
sented the board outlines Of the pro
posed increase IN the army. Detailed
estimates will be submitted TO the COM
mittee tomorrow IN a further hearing
with the Acting Chief OF stan and Of
ficials from the Ouartermasters Office,
in which the committee will be inform
ed Of the actual amount which viii be
required for pay, subsistence, supplies,
and munitions.
Secretary Baker outlined to The COM
mittee the needs OF the Allies for man
power and said he considered It un-
wise that the Commander in Chief Of
the Army should be hampered by law
as TO the number Of men 10 be called
TO the colors. He said that a draft Of
a bill amending the Selective Service
Act. so as TO permit the President TO
draft men into the service from time
10 time" instead Of in increments now
specified and limited ylaw, would be
presented to the committee.
At the conclusion Of the hearing Sec
retary Baker authorized the following
statement:
"The War Department program was
presented to the committee IN a general
way. It involved expediting the train
ing Of men and increasing the army as
rapidly as ability TO equip and trans
port them can be fOreseen and pro
vided for. I declined TO discuss the
numbers OF the proposed army for the
double reason that any number implies
a limit and the only possible limit is
our ability to equip and transport men,
which is constantly on the increase.
"Details Of the estimates proposed FOR
the regular appropriation Of t9iS-i9ts
will be gone into with the committee
These estimates when approved by the
committee and acted on by Congress
viii, OF course, be supplemented by
subsequent appropriations as additiona
facilities for equipment and transports
tion become apparent. We discussed
the size OF the army In a general way.
Il asked the committee to recede from
the provision in the quota bill giving
credit for volunteers. The department
takes the position that we desired tC
have the subsequent draft quotas base'
on the number OF men In Glass 4 with
out reference 60 credits for volun
teers."
The committee adopted Secretar,
Bakers recommendation for recedinl
from the House provision giving credi
for volunteers. AUloSg tbose opposing
II were Representatives Gordon. Demo
crat, Of Ohio; Shiulenl erger, Democra
OF Nebraska, and HeuIs G. Hull, Repub
llcan, Of Iowa.
Secretary Baker read a letter he ha
received from President Wilson on tn
subject Of giving credit for volunteer
in which the President withdrew hi
support from The plan. At the time tn
quota bill was before the House man
members voted for the provision Oe
cause at that time Representative DEM
chairman Of the Military Committee
had a letter from the President favor
Ing II.
Representative Dent, It is said, Wi
oppose the request that blanket author
ity be given to the President for deter
mining the size OF the army. Repre-