New-York tribune., 1919-06-07
New Army Bill
Cuts Forces to
100000 Men
House Military Committee
Denies Bakers Request
for 100000; Saves Over
$500, 900, 900, Says Kahn
Netr York Tribune
WGshtn1fO11 Rnreou

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, June 6.-Secretary
Bakers request for an American army
of 100000 men for the next twelve
months has been denied by the House
Military Affairs Committee. Represen-
tative Julius Kahn, chairman of the
committee. announced tonight that the
military appropriation bill, to be re-
ported to the House tomorrow, will
cut the army down to an average of
100000 men for the coming fiscal year.
The army now numbers we'll over
100000 men, $4,000 OF whom still
are in France.
The cuts made by the Military
Affairs Committee are in line with the
new policy of retrenchment and econ
omy adopted by the Republican steer
ing committee. Chairmen of the vari-
Gus appropriations committees of the
House conferred with the steering
committee to-day
1t became known after the confer
ence that the strength of the navy
will be cut Immediately to 100000 in
the naval appropriation bill and the
marine corps will be reduced to a
permanent strength of 17,4O0, with an
additional 10000 in temporary strength
Saves Over $500, 100000
While saving the taxpayers between
$300,000,O00 and S4O0 100000 the army
appropriation bill as il will be re-
ported will net in any way hamper
our military forces" Representative
Kahn said tonight. 1T must be under
stood, however, that this bill does not
attempt to define permanent mill
tary policy. The committee will not
take up the question of a permanent
policy for several months"
The army appropriation bill passed
by the House in the closing days of
the last session carried $1,117,00O, 900.
This bill failed in the Senate. The
new bill will carry appropriations of
approximately s75O,0o0,000 Mr.. Kahn
said the bill would be taken up in the
House next Tuesday, and probably
would be passed by Thursday night.
The naval appropriation bill soon to
be reported by the Naval Affairs Com
mittee will carry approximately $780,
100000 instead of the S746,44oO00 ap-
propriated by the bill that failed in
the Senate last session. Although this
bill provides for 100000 men, $4,000 of
these will be in the transport service
and will be dropped from the navy
rolls as soon as the transport service
is discontinued.
The inclusion Of a provision in the
army appropriation bill ordering the
War Department to bring all men
home by September / was considered
by the Military Affairs Committee, but
the proposal was dropped.
No Lump Railroad Sum
In connection with the economy and
retrenchment policy, which is exempli-
fed in the army bill, it was learned to-
day that the $1,000, 100000 requested by
Mr.. Hines, Director General of Rail
roads, probably will not be given in
lump sum by the Appropriations Com
mittee.
Only as much of the money as is
needed for meeting deficits that have
developed up till this time will be
granted by the Appropriations Commit
tee, if its present plans are carried out
Where Secretary Baker asked for
$4,000 officers, the army bill will pro-
vide for only $1,000 officers. The larg-
est cut was in the appropriation for
transportation, which was reduced
from S4490 100000 to $242, 2,000,0 The
subsistence appropriation was reduced
from S1o9,000,o00 to $90,000,000, and
the appropriation for regular supplies
from S12O 600 600 tn So5 nm oon