Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-05-20
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Vital POLICY
| FOR CONGRESS
Maximum Strength of Army
Must Be Decided
at Session
By A. z. GELDHOF.
N, j.. A. Washington Bureau,

1l2o-llS4 AuuSey BiuBt
WASHINGTON, D.. c., May 90
What some congressman regard as the
most vital policy to be adopted by
the new Congress is that OF our new
army.
The maximum strength of the arm
ed forces of the United States mus
be determined at the special session.
Tho Importance of accurate judgement
in deciding this question rests in the
fact that, once determined, our mill
tary policy CANNOT AGAIN BE
CHANGED WITHOUT THE CON
SENT OF THE LEAGUE OF Ma
TIONS.
If the country is to say of its own
volition whether Ii will adopt a system
Of universal military training, whether
1t Will have an army of $780, 900 men
or 100000 men, IT MUST DO IT
NOW. If Congress votes an army oil
100000 and should find five years
from now that we need an army CT
100000 or 1000. 900. it cannot vote
that army without first asking the
League of Nations for consent.
The War Department at present is
committed TO the policy of maintain
ing a standing army of $4,000 men.
1t has embarked on a recruiting cam
paign for 10000 men. of whom 3d.
900 will be sent to Germany to re-
place the regiments in the army of
occupation which are being sent
home.
This recruiting campaign so far has
been almost a failure. Only $4,000
men have enlisted since March g.. =.
At that rate of progress, the peace
treaty will be signed and all OF the
troops will be sent home before the
10000 men needed by the occupations
al army can be raised.
A significant thing about the re-
cruiting is the fact that the majority
of the volunteers are demobllized men
who re-enlist at the camps and can
tonments. The men choose between
enlisting for n year, with service at
home, or for three years, with service
abroad. Most of them are taking the
one-year term.
The men who enlist at the general
recruiting stations, pm the other hand,
seem to prefer overseas service, Deing
anxious to go to france and see me
battle-ground of the great war. 81
IBERIA, Alaska. the Philippines ana
Hawaii also lure.
General March has announced he
will keep the army up to a strength or
100000. even If he has to hold con-
scripted men in the Army of Occu-
patton. If these men are held much
longer, to await the securing of volun-
teers, there is sure to be an uproar In
Congress-from the Republican side
at least.
The general staff Of the army is In
favor of adopting a universal train
ing system, with the veterans OF the
present war used as its nucleus n Tor
the organization of its corps of OIL
fcers. 1t has a plan TO call out the
army put into the field for the war
once a year for vancouver
A determined fight against any form
OF universal service will be made,
however, not only by members OF the
Senate n House. but by organiza-
tons which oppose military training
on the ground hat 1t will make the
United States militaristic.
Al. the same time congressman rea-
l,ze that an army of 500, 900 is small
if we hageloI send troops to Turkey
Rnfsfsnia.
So Congress faces this delimma;
with its mail loaded with protests
from the home folks. against Keeping
their boys In the service. it VIII nave
to find some way TO provide an army.
II recruiting fails. then what?