The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-17
OF REORGANIZATION BILL UNTIL NEXT
 SESSION CERTAIN
Dent S Plan to Continue Ex- isting War Organization of Department and
 Regular Army Ap-
 proved by Baker
By Associated Press

Washington, January 16. The House military committee practically reached an agree ment today in conference with Secretary Baker and General March, chief of staff, to post pone the war department re- organization bill until the next session of Congress and with it a large part of the prospective debate over the future military policy of the country.
 A suggestion by Chairman Dent that a legislative rider on the army appropri- ation bill continuing the existing war organization of the department and the regular army for another year, be sub stituted for the reorganization measure, met with the approval of Mir Baker and apparently with that of mapority of the committee members.
 The proposal grew out of conference at which Secretary Baker and the chief of staff explained to the committe the reorganization measure framed by the department, providing for regular army of 5O0,000 men to be raised by voluntary enlistment on a flat three year basis. The bill also would have made permanent of the army now exercised by the chief
 
 CAN'T PASS BILL
 Chairman Dent said it would be inn possible to get such bill through Con gress in the six weeks remaining of the session. Committee members agreed with him, pointing out that the war depart ment bill on it's face appeared to be military policy measure which abandoned the theory of universal military obliga- tion. MT. Baker insisted that this was not the case; that no attempt to fix the nations policy as to a peace time army was involved, but agreed that the sub stitution of continuing authority appeared to be the wisest course in view of the uncertainties of the situation abroad and lack of tTme for full discussion in Con gress.
 The exact form Of a-~rider is to be studied out Ly the general staff It pro- bably will leave strength of the force to Presidential order within limits and subject to appropriation limitations. The committee will take up at once hear ings on the regular appropriation bill which provides as drawn for 509,000 men.
 Secretary Baker would make no declar- ation in regard to universal military service suggestions, saying that he would submit no proposal of that nature until the obligations of the nation could be gauged.
 MARCH'S VIEWS
 Later Representative Sanford sought to obtain General Marchs views on this question.
 'The question Of universal training is a question of national policy" said Gen. eral March Tt is the duty of the general staff to submit recommenda tions to the secretary of war when they are called for. If they do not get by the secretary they are stopped"
 General March said the army was now organized under Presidential order and the plan included in the staff bill was practically that organization. A total strength of 509OOO men is provided for, he said, to be organized into 20 division grouped in five corps. The total annual cost he fixed at s1,1S5, ,O00, GOO, estimated on a return to base pay of s15 month for privates and exclusive of $S6, ,000, 600 carried in the Qualifications bill. All of the existing war time organiza- (Continued on Page Nine)