New-York tribune., 1919-12-05
Reduction in Taxes Can Be
Gained Only by Cutting
Requests of Cabinet
for Funds, Say Leaders
Baker Starts Discussion
Secretary's Hint of 500, 900
Army Stirs Senator'S;
:, Seek to Chop Pay Roll
New York Tribune
WashtnQton Bureau


WASHINGTON, Dec. ALL hope for
reducing present heavy taxes, generally
regarded as war emergency taxes, rests
With Congress and can be obtained
only by Congressional opposition to
members of President Wilson's Cabinet
and the President himself, according to
Congressional leaders of both parties.
Senator'S and Representatives on the
Military Affairs committees of their re-
spective houses point to the fact that
Of the total estimates for running the
government next year of about $5,000,-
100000 nearly one-tifth--to be exact,
ssSs, SIS. .657 .20-is asked by Secretary
Baker for the War Department. This
is approximately as much as it took to
run the entire government just before
the war in Europe started.
These estimates for the War Depart
ment presumably are based on main
tanning an army of 100000 men. This
is deduced by the fact that the appro-
priation estimated for pay is $33S,24o,-
900. as against $214,429,107 for the
present year. In other words, Mr..
Baker proposes that the one item of
pay for the army shall exceed by about
sl24,OO0,000 in the year beginning July
the amount paid in the year ending
June SO. The appropriation for army
pay for the current year ending June
Al,
army would average 325,O00 men. The
rev figure evidently presupposes an
army of between 100000 and 100000
men.
Increased Army Hinted
The phase of the situation which
has surprised Congressional leaders is
that Mr.. Baker intends to increase the
army despite the fact that every gem
era officer who testified before the
Military Committees of either house
favored an army of ,O00-with the
one exception OF Chief of Staff March
General Pershing, General Wood and
the remainder of the general officers
favored a smaller army. Acting on
the advice of General March, Secretary
Baker sent in an army bill calling for
100000 men. Although this plan has
been generally attacked by military
experts as unnecessarily expensive, Mr.
Baker has asked an appropriation to
Justify the proposed army of half
million men.
Eve never will give Mr.. Baker any
thing ike the seS9,000, 900 he asks"
said Senator Wadsworth, chairman of
the Military Affairs Committee. when
asked about the chances of this appro-
priation. 81 should say that s6oO,-
100000 would be the largest possible
amount to be appropriated for the
army, and the figures may be consider
ably smaller. There will be no regular
army of 5000 men do not think
there - chance of it's being larger
than 100000. so the appropriations will
De cut down proportionately."
Hitchcock Agrees With Wadsworth
Senator Hitchcock, prominent
democratic member of the Military
Committee, agreed with Senator Wads-
worth that the army should not exceed
ABOUT 2oO, 900 men. In fact, there is
scarcely member of either house of
congress who agrees with General
March or Secretary Baker
representative Anthony, of Kansas.
ranking Republican member of the
house Military Committee in the alb
sence of Chairman Kahn, said he be-
iieved 1t would not grant so large an