Republican farmer., 1918-05-10
WANT HUGE ARMY
|. OF 2,298,OOO BY
FIRST OF JULY
Bakers SIS, 900, 900, 900 Esti-
mate Based on Plan to
Refill Camps.
1885, 900 MEN
NOW IN q. S. ARMY
All the Army Camps and
Cantonments Are to Be
Materially Enlarged.

Washington, May 4.---The admins
tration's plans for raising an army
large enough to insure victory were
submitted in detail to the House Com
mlttee on Military Affairs yesterday,
which has begun the preparation of
the army appropriation bill carrying
SIS, o00, 100000 to dnance the army dur
ing the next fiscal year.
Secretary Baker refused to go into
the question of figures involved in the
proposed increase in military man
power. but it became known at the
Capitol that the estimates he submit
ted were based on a norce of not
fewer than 100000 men and 100, 900
officers being in the field by July 1,
1918. The plan contemplates having
10000 officers and 2,16S, 900 men, or a
total of 2,29S, 900 in the field and in
camps by July 1, 1918, and approx
mateiy an additional million to be
placed in the field before the end of
the fiscal year.
Il don't want to say anything in
figures" said Secretary Baker when
asked how large an army was con-
templated, because 1 don't want to
be tied down to numbers. Ny objec-
| ton to using numbers grows out of
the fact that we want to raise just as
large an army as will be needed, and
I want the American people to feel
confident that we are not going to be
handicapped by numbers but intend
to raise an army that will be large
enough in every respect"
All of the army camps and canton
| IT, ha n Io.d nd
materially enlarged, to take care OF
the training of the men to be raised
in the next IL months. Secretary Ba-
ker said that the General Staff had
this question under careful consider
alton, and that the idea was to in
crease the size of existing training
camps rather than establish new
camps. These camps, it is estimated,
now have facilities for training close
to a million men at one time
Secretary Baker also made it cleal
that the total of $4,000, 100000 in
volved in the estimates as revised FOL
the new army bill did not cover the
whole cost OF the army for the mex
fiscal year. The $4,000, 900, 900, ht
exlained, was in addition to the large
sums that would be carried in the
Fortifications Appropriation bill
which covers the cost of heavy ord
nance both here and overseas. No
does it include the Military Academ!
bill, 1t was emphasized that al
though estimates were submitted OF
the basis of an army of a certain size
Congress was being asked for blanke
| authority for the president to raise al
the men needed, and the approximat
figures of $15, 900, 5000 could be in
creased by deficiency appropriations
r It was brought out in the commute
, yesterday that the transportation ser
5 vice had improved and that the Wa
e Department was able to send NOR
men to France each month. 1t is est
r mated that if transport facilities con
= tinue to improve, close to 10000
S fighting men will be on the wester
i front by the last of this year.
r This country now has in camp an
in the field, it was explained to tn
committee, the following enlisted me
and officers:
Il Enlisted men. j, 76o,OoO
Omcers. ...-....-'.. 1zV'VVO