Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-16
WOOD RoUsEs CONGRESS.
Generals Statement on Size Of Army
Is REVERSAL Of Position.

BE l.. Ii. DOu5uSIAE'
WASHINGTON, Sept. l6.-The state
ment made by Major General Leonard
Wood before the senate military at
fairs committee that a standing army
of 100000 men would be sufficient. II
supplemented by universal military
training has aroused the most intense
interest in both houses OF congress-
This statement tiies in the face oil the
war department bill, which calls for
a minimum of eco men. To under
stand the impression made by Genera!
Woods statement on members of the
senate and house it must be recalled
that General Wood has been the apos-
tie of preparedness for years, that II
was he who urged much larger
army and more adequate preparation
in the way of artillery, aeroplanes' H.
fles and equipment generally during
the two years of the European war
before the United States got into IT,
No one proposed, at that time, an
army larger than General Wood, De-
fore the very committee TO which ne
made the startling statement that =7o'-
900 men were adequate military force
for the nation.
Had General Woods advice been
needed by congress prior to the en-
trance of the United States in the
war. senators pointed out today. there
would not have been the terrible con-
dition in which the war department
found itself >during the first year OF
Americas participation in attemptlhS
TO make Americas war machine rune
ton. Nor would there be the scandals
which the house committee on military
affairs has been uncovering for some
time.
But now General Wood is appearing
in a new role. which is somewhat OF
shock to congress. He actually THINKS
the army asked for by the war depart
ment not only a little too large, pu'
twice too large. General Wood maze
II clear that in naming this figure OF
go 900 he was thinking only OF an
army large enough to protect the
United States. He was making no es-
innate for sending troops aoroaH.
Neither is Secretary of War BAKER,
according to his own statements.
Senator John Sharp Williams, now
ever. the closest personal friend Oh
President Wilson in the senate, has IN
+roauced a resolution which would
authorize the president in his discre-
ton to send American troops to Ar
menia. Advices have reached sena-
tors from such responsible quarter
that there is no doubling their &C
curacv that the British representative
on the international commission at
1,e+o,+inonle insisted that the
United States should send 2OO.ooo
troors to Armenia without delay. Inc
American representative on the com
mission suggested $4,000 as all that
would he necessary.
The interest attaching to General
Woods opinion, however Is It's erect
on those senators and members OF the
house who are vigorously opposed TO
sending any more American troops
abroad and who want all the troops
abroad brought home without delay.
These members of TIE two houses
have served notice that thew VIII feht
vigorously any APPROPRIATION lot
troops to he used in additional foreign
service, This attitude is not confined
to the radicals. Chairman Kahn, OF
the house military committee. mas DE-
clared he will aid in passing no Dill
for the army without a distinct proVl-
sion against any such use Of trnons.
His feelings are shared. apparently
nv so many members of both houses
that in their present frame Of mind "
would be impossible to get a Dill
through against their wishes.