El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-17
MAY POSTPONE
NEW ARMY BILL
Baker Agrees To Plan To
Continue Present 0rgani-
cation Another Year.

] Washington D. C Jan 1.-THE
house military committee practically
reached an agreement Friday in con-
/ ference with secretary Baker and Gen.
I March. chief Of staff. to postpone the
war department reorganization bill
until the next session Of congress.
a suggestion by chairman Dent
that a legislative rider on the army
appropriation bill continuing the ex-
listing war organization Of the depart
ment and the regular army for an
| other year. be substituted for the re-
organization measure met with the
Z approval of Mr.. Baker and apparently
with that Of a majority Of the COM
mittee members
The proposal grew out Of a confer
ence at which secretary Baker and
the chief OF staff explained TO the
committee the reorganization meas
ure framed by the department. pro-
viding for a regular army Of 5000
men to be raised by voluntary enlist
ment on a flat thrse year basis.
Staff Chief to Rank High.
IF the president is given authority
TO continue war time agencies Of the
army, Cen March said. the plan
mapped out in the bill viii be fol-
lowed. 1t provides for six officers Of
the rank Of Lieutenant general, to
take care OF corps commanders, and
fixes the chief Of staff. with the rank
Of general as the officer taking rank
and precedence over all other Off
GERS"
one of the most important provis-
ions Of the bill, Gen March said. was
that giving reserve corps officers
rank including that Of colonel. instead
Of major as now provided
Another condition which must be
remedied- the general said. was that
limiting permanent commissions from
civil life to the grade Of second lieu
tenant
Army Would Dissolve.
IN the course Of his explanation Of
the army reorganization bill be-
fore the house military committee.
secretary Baker pointed out that IN
der the existing law the whole army
would dissolve four months after
the declaration Of peace" He thought
IL urgent that a permanent structure
should now be erected Otherwise,
he said, the service would go back
10 the prewar organization which
would be a "depiorable thing"
Census Impractical.
Several Of the committee questioned
AR Baker as 10 the possibility Of
holding in France only soldiers who
desired to stay temporarily in the
service he said TO attempt to take
census Of the men on this point and
reorgauize accordingly would cause
such profound DISCRIMINATION" Of
the entire service as to make it IN
workable.
Favors Checking Wars.
Representative Shallenberg asked
II passage Of the bill was not in ef-
feet a declaration to the world that
we are going to have a big standing
army" at the time when president
Wilson's efforts in Paris were d.
rected toward limitation OF arma-
ments-
Il do not think IL would mean
that" Mr. Baker said. -or / would
not favor IL do not think the hui
man race has a higher hope than that
Of limitations OF ornaments and
checking OF the wars
Mr. Baker said he had not discussed
the question Of the future Of the ma
tional guard He believed the states
would have the cooperation OF the
war department. which would carry
sions unless other military legislation
was enacted
Wants Civilian Surgeons.
Representative Quinn told the sec
rotary he had personally seen young
army doctors" compel men at hos
pitfalls to stand at attention when the
officer entered a ward. and wanted 10
know whether il was proposed to
follow the French practice Of putting
doctors in civilian status
Il have seen a captain" he de-
clared, compel q man with a leg off
10 get off his cot and salute.
Mr. Baker said he had never heard
of such an abuse as that described.
but would be glad TO investigate II.
He added, however. that discipline
must be maintained at military hos
pitfalls.