New-York tribune., 1919-05-30
Temporary Force of 500, 900
Till Covenant Is Accepted
or Rejected, Baker Tells
House Military Committee
5 Divisions Kept Abroad
Wilson Observation-Disclosures
of Two, Says Gen. March;
5 Millions Loaned Czechs
Neio York Tribune
D

Neu York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, May 29--until the
league Of nations gets into actual
working order or is definitely aban-
doned, no suggestions for permanent
military policy for the United States.
will be submitted to Congress by the
Administration. Congress accepted
this conclusion to-day after Secretary
Baker appeared before the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee and asked for
temporary army of 100000 men. He
recommended that provision for an
army OF that size be made until June
80, 1920.
81 want it understood that this does
not refer to any permanent military
policy" he said. at applies merely to
the coming fiscal year. During the
early part of the fiscal year we will
have more than 100000 men, and dur
ing the last of the year will probably
have fewer than 100000"
Five Divisions Stay Abroad
The number of men to be kept
abroad has not yet been determined
General March. chief of staff told the
committee. Until peace has been pro
claimed. five divisions-the 1st, I'd. Sd,
4th and 5th--will remain overseas.
Upon the order Of General Wilson,
General March revealed, two divisions
which were scheduled to be withdrawn
from the army of occupation, will be
retained.
The President has not Informed us
as to the Allied scheme for policing
Germany" General March said Eve
have based our estimate of 100000
men on the number of men necessary"
Secretary Baker recommended the
establishment Of national system of
military training in all the high
schools, colleges and universities of
the country.
Not for Grade Schools
Il do not wish at this time to sug-
gest anything in the nature of a per
manent military policy" he reiterated,
"but I would like to see a plan for the
establishment of military training in
our educational institutions carried
out"
Would the plan apply to any below
high schools ?" he was asked.
"It would not-~only to high schools,
colleges and universities"
Both Secretary Baker and General
March asserted that rehabilitation is
now far ahead of the War Departments
original programme. Between two and
three hundred thousand more men
have been mustered out than the orig
inal schedule called for
During May, 100000 men will en-
bark from France, General March said.
The highest previous record was 31o-
600 returned in a month.
In discussing the financial arrange
nents for the American troops in ST.
IBERIA, General March revealed that the
military operations of the Czecho-Slo-
vaks were financed to the extent Of
$5,000,000 from the Presidents emer-
gency fund.
Czecho-Slovaks to Pay.
"The money was to help them get
out Of Siberia" he explained Part
of it was used in maintaining Amer.
can troops along the Trans S berlan
Railroad. Of course, it will be a debt
against the Czecho- -Slovaks and the
money will be returned"
There are now 1927 enlisted men
and 81 officers of the American army
in Siberia, General March testified.
Forty-four hundred are in Northern
Russa-and will shortly be coming
out. The rest are at Vladivostok
I'VE are striving to replace drafted
men in the Siberian army with regu-
lars General March explained. THE
troops are necessary in Siberia to
guard the railroads."
In reply to a question General March
said:
The President, as commander-in-
chief, has the Constitutional right to
detail any troops abroad he chooses"
Hurrying Demobilization
Secretary Baker told the committee
he was alive to the demand from the
country and on the part of the men
themselves that the war army be de
modified. The War Department was
responding to THAI demand with every
facility and with all possible rapidity,
he said.
Complete demsobillzation, he re-
called, was required by Congressional
enactment four months after either
the promulgatioH of peace by the
President or "the adhesion of the
United States to the peace treaty"
"Of course, in the event of any un-
expected change in the international
situation 1t might become necessary
for me to ask Congress to change the
act the Secretary added.
If peace were ratified and proclaimed
tomorrow, General March told the
committee, every man abroad could be
brought home in four months.
In the last two and half months,
he said, 42,2l0 men had been enlisted
in the army, ecipsing all previous
records.
Would Keep Special Branches
Secretary Baker recommended that
the various special service bureaus ea-
tablished during the war be continued.
The Air Service, the Motor Transport
Corps and the Service of Supply
should be retained as special branches,
he said.
No emergency funds are being used
by the War Department for permanent
programmes, he explained. Projects
started by the Air Service and the