The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-17
HALF. MILLION ARMY
OUR PART IN LEAGUE
Gen. March Tells Senate Com
mittee That Is Basis Now
Proposed.
BAKER ALSO TESTIFIES
Believes Men Needed Can Be
Obtained Without Employ
ing CONSUMPTION.
BAKER ALSO TESTIFIES
Special Despotch TO TEE spS.

lessening OF ornaments, formal insti-
tuition OF the League of Nations will
mean that a permanent professional
have to be maintained by tho United
States to take care OF the obligations
which 1t would assume, by entering .he
proposed league.
This was told to-day to the Senate
Military Committee by Gen. Peyton c.
March chief OF stan Of the army Sec
rotary Of War Baker was before the
committee, too. Senator Chamberlain
(Oregon) lately chairman OF the COM
mittee. and Mr.. Baker disagreed sharply
about the ability Of the War Department
TO raise and maintain an army OF 5os,-
900 men--which the War Department
wants for the present-without resort
ing to CONSUMPTION.
Mr.. Baker Insisted that under his
direction the army had become an ex.
ceedingly sttractive organisation and
that no real trouble would be exper-
fenced In voluntarily enlisting this num-
Der OF young men In It.
The committee asked about the situa-
ton in Siberia so far as American troops
are concerned, the present situation in
materials and their disposition. the fu-
ture of such branches of the army as
aviation and the gas and flame organise
lions. and sounded out Secretary Baker
tentatively on the subject OF universal
training. ..r ...
Gen. Menoher. chief of the air service,
was before the committed also. and in
formed the committee OF tho situation of
the army air service. the general present
49,
and abroad and the plans of other ma
tions for the development Of this branch
Of their military organization.
France to Buy Our Stores.
In answer to a question as TO re-
ports that France has required the
United States to pay import duties on
supplies for the army, Secretary Baker
said this was groundless, Frances at
titude has been exceedingly liberal in
this matter, but nevertheless France has
been anxious about our great surplus OF
supplies there. which 1t does not want to
dump on the country. Accordingly, IL
the United States should undertake to
dispose of them in the open market
France would insist on charging import
duties. The French Government is ar
ranging to take over these supplies en-
bloc and dispose OF them.
While all this rehabilitation Of men
and supplies Is going on, the Secretary
said. a substantial number OF troops
must be maintained In France. So, while
rehabilitation is beinEs carried on as
fast as possible, II Is unlikely to bring
the force down during this year to the
point contemplated by the House bill.
Secretary Baker therefore recommended
that the appropriation bill be based on q
contemplation OF sos. 900 men He prom
Used that II It were possible to demobiliIe
more rapidly II would be done.
The Secretary indicated his dissent TO
the action OF the House committee which
had cut out all provisions for recrea-
tionsl and educational facilities for the
army.
1.-THE only way" he said, "in my opin-
ion. to maintain an army in peace times
10 to make It an educational opportunity.
In all this war nothing has happened 90
cheering and so spectacular as the man.
ner In which the men have availed them
selves Of the educational opportunities
we have provided in the war time army
Before the war the men we got for the
army were largely those afflicted with
wanderlust men who had failed some-
how in adjusting themselves to the home
environment
THE war brought us. OF course. an
entirely different class. II we are TO
continue getting this di :erent and better
class in times OF peace We must con-
tinue to make the army an educational
opportunity in times OF peace as we have
made Il IN war. In my opinion the en-.
listed man should be trained in his camp
20 far as possible by officers detailed
for the purpose. but also when neces-
sary by civilians engaged for the pur-
pose. For an army OF 100000 men we
paaA mn mn %or
and educational work. This has been
cut very much In the House bill"
Chamberlain Disasrees.
do you think It Is possible TO enlist
and maintain an army OF 100000 by re-
cruiting?" asked Senator Wadsworth
New York;.
AS easy as TO secure an army Of
10o. 900 II you make it possible for the
men to get the educational advantages
to give. say. half OF their time TO the
work Of education" replied the Score
tary.
"well, I don't believe YOU. are right
about that" interjected Senator Cham
berlain. Il don't believe 1t is possible
| to maintain an army OF q half million
except under compulsory service"
Gen. March. being appealed to, said
in recent months has shown that men
are enlisting faster than ever.
I'VE are getting them at the rate Of
| 10000 a month or over" he said. The
proportion who are reenlisting Is larger
than any other class, About 20 per
cent. are men who have not been in the
service before. while more than twice
that percentage have had service"
Secretary Baker entered upon an out
line Of his programme for expanding
the army establishment. in view of the
| wars demonstration that military
science must In future be based largely
on accurate scientific knowledge and
application. There must be constant re-
search work and the correlation OF all
private scientific work with that, OF the
army for use in war. With all this in
mind the Department plans to establish
a great engineering school at Camp
Humphreys. Va. equipped with a splen-
did research laboratory
The Secretary was asked what he pro-
posed TO do with gas warfare In his re-
| organization. 1T suspect" he said. that
gas warfare will be forbidden as we get
more civilized But there are two views
OF that subject. Some feel that gas
warfare is desirable because its objective
Is to knock out the man without killing
him. Others regard It asgwickedly IN
discriminating in It's disregard OF the in
nocent bystander."
| IT have been informed" said Senator
Chamberlain, that 80 per cent. of the
casualties sustained by the !, American
forces in France were by gas, Also, we
| have been informed that II Germany had
been as fast in the development of the
| possibilities OF gas war ali we were they