The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1919-06-20
REDUCTIONS IN
ARMY AND NAVY
House Agrees Tentatively to
Cut the Force Down to
100000 Men.
WAR WAGES TO CONTINUE.
Personnel Fixed on Sliding Scale from
241oo0 on July to 10000 in 1920.
No New Naval Construction
Provided For.

Washington.-Th House of Repre-
sentat'ves moved TO reduce the mill
tary programme asked for by the adj
ministration by cutting the size of the
army from 100000 to 100000 and re-
ducing the navy personnel by a third,
priations.
Further reduction In the size of the
army to be maintained for the next
fiscal year was tentatively agreed
upon by the House in deciding to base
appropriations for pay and MAIN
tenance on an army of 100000 men, in
stead of 100000, as recommended by
the House Military Committee.
The war department had recon-
mended provision for an army of 509,
600.
The controversy over the army's size
was brought TO a test vote when an
item of $2S,605, 900 for the pay of line
officers came up for consideration.
Representative La Guardia, Republic
can of New York. moved that it be re-
duced TO S20.200,000, making it in pro-
portion 10 an army of 100000 men.
After two hours debate the amend
ment was passed by vote of 80 to
81.
supporters of the amendment con-
tended that if provision were made
for 100000 the war department would
make no effort TO carry on the de-
mobilization as rapidly as might be
possible
Representative Kearns Repubi-
can), of Ohio, asserted that people
over the entire country were demand
ing the return of the soldiers.
Representative Kahn of California,
chairman of the Military Committee,
urged that the original estimate, based
on an army OF 100000 men, be passed,
saying that it would be physical inn
possibility to obtain lower average
'On July l." he said, there probably
will he 100000 men still in the service,
and 100000 by August l. Thereafter
the decrease will be less rapid, and l
doubt that the number viii fall below
300 600 by the first of the year. BY
the end of the fiscal year the number
will he reduced to 22J000. Taking an
average for the year, it can be clearly
seen that it will not fall below 400,-
600
Representative Dent of Alabama
ranking minority member of the com
nittee. said Congress was morally
bourd to make ample provision for the
soldiers. and that this could not be
done "by blindly SlaShlng the appro-
priations.'
In pursuance of the new Congress
sional policy of economy, the Naval
Affairs Committee has cut down the
estimates of appropriation submitted
by Secretary Daniels about one-third
Tie naval appropriation bill carries
approximately S600,000000, which is
$3Gd000000 less than the appropria-
tons asked for by the secretary, and
Sl1J.G00000 under the total carried in
the iii as ii was passed by the House
at the last session.
The navy personnel is fixed at 241,-
0O0 from July / to October 19l ,000
from October to January l, 1920, and
10000 from January ! to July l, 1920
The personnel of the Marine Corps is
fixed at 27,400 for the full fiscal year
No new naval construction beyond
that already authorized is provided fol
in the bin. The appropriation for
construction previously authorized
amounts to S133 100000.
Thelproposal of Secretary Daniels to
divide the fleet into two squadrons
one in the Atlantic and one in the Pa
cifc, was approved by the committee
and some appropriations We're recon-
mended for new construction at naval
stations in the Pacific in conformity
with this policy.