Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-17
ACTION POSTPONED
ON ARMY PROBLEM
Question of Reorganization Will
Be Left to Next Session
Of Congress.
CONTINUE PRESENT SCHEME
War Department Favors Perma-
nent Regular Force of
100000 Men.
CONTINUE PRESENT SCHEME
fBy Associated press.l

By Associated Pressl
!, MASiil ilNGTON, January 1G. = The
reached an agreement to-day in con-
ference with Secretary Baker and
Genera March. chief of staff. to post
zatiop bill until the next session Of
the prospective debate over the future
a suggestion by Chairma1 Dent
that legislative rider on the army
appropriation bill continuing the ex-
istinY var organization of the depart-
! rnent ana the regular army for an
other year. substitute for the re-
orsahhatlcn measure, met with the
Win that Of majority Of The COM
The proposal, grew out of a con-
the chief OF stan explained the re-
organization measure framed by tho
asInw asnar'ment, NJ 7So pr 6PnrG9vidns for regular
o vo!un,arv ar 'egge9 men to be raised by
year basis. The bill also would have
made permahent the absolute control
exercised by the chief OF staff as a
:'ar-time necessity
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET PRESENT
CONGRESS TO ACT, SAYS DENT
- Chairman Dent said 1t would. be
CoaPresr In the present session. Com
m.ttee. members agreed, pointing out
that the War Department bill on it's
3e racs .sr, arpearhed ;h,d to be military policy
of universal military obligation
MI. Baker insisted that this was
not me case: that no attempt to nx
the nations policy as to pcace-timo
arm was involved. but agreed that
the scheme OF continuing authority
APPEARED TO be the wIsest course In
view o. the unccrta mites of the stu
alton abroad and lack of time for full
congressional discussion.
APPROPRIATIONS BILL
PROVIDES FOR 5O0,OOO MEN
studied BY the general staff it prob
abiy will leave the strength OF the
force TO presidential order within
,i,n,i limits; ,o and subject 10 appropriation
up at once hearings on the regular
appropriation bill. which provides. as
drawn. for $4,000 men
Secretary Baker would make no de-
claration in regard to universal mili-
tary service suggestions. saying. tina.
he ,wrs Would submit no ,proPosal Of tina,
the, question Of universal Seiicy."
said General March III, is the duly
mendations to the Secretary of war
when they arc called for. II thry-
do not get hy the secretary. they are
PROVIDES FOR ORGANIZATION
OF TWENTY DIVISIONS
General March said the army was
now organized under presidential or
der. and the plan included in the
ssaff bill was practically that organi-
zaiion. total strength of 509,0oo
men men is provided for. he said. TO be
grouped in i've corps The total an
nual cos; he fixed AT s1.1S5. 900, 900. es-
tirnatec on q return to base pay of
SO month for privatcs and cXclu-
sivc OF sSG6:oo0,o00 carried in the
foriihcationS bill
All o: the existing wartime or
ganizai iions,. such as the tank corps
transportation and motor transport
CORPS INDEPENDENT air service and tho
like are 10 be continued with the cN-
cention OF the chemical warfare ser
vice.
GENERAL MARCH WOULD
BAR USE OF POISON GAS
OF poison gas in war" General March
declared. Not that il makes any
difference how. you Kill n soldier, but
the gas lies on the ground and pene-
,rates back TO villages and kills
women and children. No civilized ma
If the President is given authority
TO continue wartime agencies of the
army, Genera! March said, the plan
mapPed out in the bill will be fol-
lowed. 1t provides for six officers OF
the rank of lieutenant-general to take
the chief OF staff with the rank OF
general as the officer taking rank
a. and precedence over all other or
One OF the most important provi :.
Sions OF the bill, General March said.
rank, including that OF colonel instead
OF major now provided,