New-York tribune., 1919-03-04

cHlel powers engaged IN the war;
quired mildly of Mr.. Martin If he
would accept an amendment to the bill
npproprlating $5.000,000 to defray the
expenses of the President abroad
why. the Senator knows very we'll
! that am opposed to that proposition" /"
Mr. Martin declared Indignantly. 81
/ 90 not understand why the Senator
brings it up at this time"
Wadsworth jlames Wilson
ri am amazed at the attitude Of the
Senator said Mr. penrose. apparently
with great enrnestness, "Whv. the
President wants this appropriations and
her" tho Senator Is opposing 1t.
Senator Wndswotlh Of New York
whom II was seen that the army bill
could not poaslby pass, told the Son
ate that the President would he per.
sohally responsible, If he failed 10 call
hh eAtfh sess ion, fer the DELAY which
would result IN bringing the soldiers
home from Europe,
Challenged by Democrats, there
npon, To explain the refusal Of the
Republicans to permit the army bill
to go through the Senate before
Congress- adjourns at noon tomorrow,
"
would be IA physical impossibiity to
get the measure adopted in view of
the radical differences between the
House and Senate as to the proper
size of the military establishment.
On the other hand, the New York
Senator declared that if the President
delayed the call of the extra session
until June /, it would be impossible
for the War Department to carry out
ITS original plan for bringing the
draft men home
Drafters Must Stay Abroad
'The army bill as reported out by
the Senate committee" he said, "calls
for an army of 100000 enlisted men
to be raised by voluntary enlistmcnt
AS far as possible the department
would raise this number from among
the ranks Of the soldiers abroad, draft
men or regulars with expiring enlist
ments who want to stay in France.
This force would be used to take the
place Of an equivalent number of
drafted men, who would be brought
home as rapidly as their places were
filed The chief of staff has assured
the Senate committee that if this bill
were passed at once this could all be
done by July, which means that 500,-
600 drafted men now in Europe and
anxious to get home would be back in
tho United States and demobilized by
that time.
"But it would be impossible to
pass this bin before adjournment
tomorrow, because Of the fact that
the measure as passed by the House
provides for II volunteer army re-
duced in size TO 175,000. 1t would be
impossible to get satisfactory agree
mcnt between the two branches in
10 rh Of Of cfoN
and the Secretary of War have shown
that an army Of less than 100000
at this time would be totally made
quatc to police our own country, gar
rison our island possessions and full
fiji our share of the policing of Eu-
rope that must be undertaken for
some time after peace is declared.
Three Months of Delay
"Fhcrcforc ! am begging here and
now that tho President call Congress
Immediately into extra session after
this session adjourns tomorrow, and
want the people to know where the
responsibility will lie if these drafted
men are kept in France. The Presi-
dent has said that there shall be no
extra session before June |. That
means that three months must go by
with no measure of relief undertaken
and with the army plans held up. In
TINS time of crisis we cannot STRIP
our country and our island possessions
Of defences. We must, therefore, hold
mon in service until this volunteer
force is raised to take their place. but
unless this bill is passed at once the
War Department is without authority
TO raise by voluntary enlistment any
larger force than tho regular army OF
i7b.0oO now fixed in tho law as The
permanent establishment.
There is this also to be borne in
mind When the National Guard was
drawn into service n ruling of the
judge advocate general held that the
men of the National Guard lost their
identity az such and became separate
and distinct from the National Guard
organizations AS they existed When we
entered the war.
No National Guard
"This means that there Ia to-day
practically no National Guard in ex-
istence.
Thousands upon thousands Of these
National GuHrdsmen went TO France
and became important units In the
American eXpeditlonary force, cover
ing themeolvcs with glory and nuc.
ecAH, TheAe men are now about to rc.
turn TO the United States trained vet
Grams and tremendous potential force
for use in time of need. The War De
partmcnt wants to encourage these
men to reenlist in the National Guard
organizations aS formerly constituted
under Federal control, and there is
provision in this bill making that pos
gibe.
"if the bill is not passed promptly