The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-01-07
ARMY CONSIDERS
LAND PURCHASE
For Permanent camps-secretary Bak-
er Declines to Indicate Canton
ments Proposed to Retain.

washington, Jan. Z.-SecretarY
Baker said today he intended to seek
the views of congress on the question
C. purchasing the land on which army
environments are located. He said the
war department thought some of these
= camps should be made permanent and
that it would cost about s12,000,000 to-
acquire the sites already approved for
this purpose. The matter will be-
brought UP by the secretary when he
appears tomorrow before the house.
committee
Senator Borah of Idaho, speaking in.
the senate earlier in the day, express
ed the hope that Mr.. Baker would not
have these sites purchased without
consulting congress. Democratic
Leader Martin said that, in his opin,
ion, no funds were available and addf>
tional legislation would be necessary
Secretary Baker would not disclose
what training camp sites had been rec
ommended by the general staff for per-
manent retention. He said specificatS
ly, however, that the disposition of
flying fields were not now involved
Camps Can Be Used.
The secretary indicated that thisss
program has no relation to recon-
mendations that may be made at some.
future time with respect to the per-
manent military policy. Since there is-
to be military establishment in any
case, he said the acquisition of several
of the cantonment sites would be OF
benefit to the service. He added that
they could be used for summer mobil,
izations for divisional for even larger
maneuvers as existing permanent fa>
cilities for the army do not provide
any post where quarters or grounds
are extensive enough for these pur>
poses.
Within the next few days, Mr.. Bak-
er said, the army war college will cons
piete the army reorganization bilE
upon which it has been working and
he then will seek hearings before the
military committees to take up the
proposals. It is now understood that.
the war college bill embodies the gen>
eral staff and departmental reorganf<
zation plans in addition to the neces>
sary legislative provisions under
which tables of organization for the
regular army can be issued. But
there is nothing to indicate that IT
goes beyond the regular army or
touches the question of permanent
military policy. 1t has been held at
the war department that this can not
be presented until proceedings at
Versailles have gone far enough to
show what military force it would be.
wise fer the United States to have al>-
ways available for quick mobilization
Status Of Units.
Many auxiliary services and units.
were created during the war for
which there is no authority in the reg
ular military statutes. The new act,
will give opportunity for these 70 be-
given permanent status and also will
state the views of the army itself ass
to the stress to be laid upoc such news-
branches of the military establishments
as the air service. Incidentally, the,
whole question of the future of the
army t'r service, whether it is to CON-
tinu' separate branch or be again
amalgamated with the signal CORPS,
will be taken up.
With the presentation of the reors
ganization bill, the congressional com,
rittee will be told of the detailed
expenditures to be made under the ap.
preparations already submitted. These
provide roughly for regular army of
,, 100000 men.