Evening journal., 1919-02-11
GENERAL STAFF dies.
WITH new ARMY ACT
House Committee Denies
Nearly Everything Desired
by War Department
SERVICE STRIPES
REWARDS TO co

WASHINGTON. Feb. ii.-secretary Of
War Baker and General March. chief Of
SIAN, received a severe Jolt from Con
gress Today when the House Military
Committee reported the annual army
appropriation bill and denied expressly
ana explicitly virtually everything
which the War Department most de-
sired.
Although the measure authorizes a
temporary strength by voluntary estab-
lishments Of 2S.579 officers and 500 9O9
enlisted men, yet the number Of men by
which such strength exceeds the author
lzetl0n OF the national defense act is 10
be considered temporary and authorized
1or one year only from June 80 next.
The measure calls for appropriations
totalling 81, III, ,2S9.Ass.
By expressly repeating provisions OF
the Overman act the measure tears
down virtually in It's entirety the pow
erfuI general stan organization built up
during the war and which Secretary
Bakea and General March have persist
entity urged be made permanent. Ex-
cep' as regards tactical units the Pres
ldent is Instructed 10 return 10 the ad-
miristrative machinery and bureau sys-
TENS worked out in the national de-
fence act Of 1916.
The organization Of the National
Guard is preserved and 0.iTs,6Ii Is ap-
proprlated for government cOntribu-
tions to the equipment and upkeep OF
organizations. Reimbursement in kind
for property carried into the Federal
serys-e by National Guard organizations
Is ordered
The secretary Is authorized 10 put
into force promotions recommended
prl0r to the signing OF the armlstice and
stopned by order Of the secretary after
Noylmber fl.
3 Virtually all legislative provisions in
t.aglbill were written by Representative
st lCal.) ranking Republican mem
her " the committee. and accepted by
iie .Jmmiltee without strong OppOsi-
Con. The general attitude OF the COM
nhitee toward the War Department is /
iEatlied by the hostile nature Of the /
laIs fiiive riders. In eliminating the /
Powerfully centralized general stan or !
sanitation the committee felt it was I
striking at the root Of an autOcratlc /
military machine in part responsible for
many alleged injustices.
M
con nuatiOn by voluntary enlistments f..
Of tae present organization Of the army /
reads In part:
the enlisted force Of the Regular
Army shall be raised by voluntary en-
.istments for periods Of three years and /
FOR The voluntary enlistments for the
period Of one year. All existing enlist
me. IS for a longer period than three
nmT -. 81
maze for three years and after expira-
Jon Of one years honorable service any
nllsied man whose commander shall
'epJrt him as proficient aud sufficiently
ra-ned may be furloughed 20 the re-
.erFcs"
The rider authorizes covering officers
u he army Of the United States serv-
ng for the emergency into an officers
'es srye corps at the rank or grade held
by them in the emergency or at higher
rade.
Ine bin cuts the Gordian knot OF con-
70 'ersy over the distinctive overseas
nd tome service stripes by prohibiting
'ola.
The provisions involving the strength
# Nqfional Guard units demanding Fed Z
raj contributions are modified TO give
r'ater time for recruiting OF State ]
cops
'r reporting the bill Chairman Dent I
a,d:
f'he amount Of the revised estimates
vas 81 ,iS5,7 ,72i, iG5; Tie amount which
le committee has reported is si,ii7,- \
So ass. The original estimates called \
D. q, ,9i6, ,90j572 10 is not intended by a
his bin to suggest even a permanent \
tanding army OF any such size or +
trength. Under this bin we may have r
lore than a million men in the service \
6 'he beginning OF the next fiscal year 4
"a perhaps not more than 100000 at ,
he end Of the fiscal year. The commit q
se also recommends that the pay Of h
le enlisted men provided during the (
be continued" 4