Evening star., 1920-02-27
ARMY BILL MAKES
CUT IN OFFICERS
5000 Fewer Provided in Re-
organization Plan Than
Asked For.

Eight thousand fewer Army officers
| than were asked by the War Depart
ment are provided for in the Army
reorganization bill formally presented
! to the House late yesterday by Chair
man Kahn of the military affairs
! committee. While "A heavy cut vas
! made in all branches of the service.
| aviation suffered most severely, the
| bill allowing for only 1.514 Of the
| $500 officers asked. In ALL the de-
! partment urged 2S.l79 officers and the
reported bill carries but 1880.
Chairman Kahn pointed out that
| the national defense act of 1915 was
| used as the working basis OF the
new bill.
Extensive as are the changes
made" said Mr.. kahn's report. they
alter in no material respect the mill
tary system established by the ma
tional defense act. but merely make
those changes in details which the
lapse of time and the experience of
the war have shown to be necessary.
What Bill Provides For.
The military establishment viii
remain as now determined by law.
consisting Of n comparatively srlall
Regular Army Of profe ssonal soldiers
! backed by a large reserve Of citizen
; officers and an organized National
Guard. subject to considera BILE fed
cral supervision, and liable in time Of
F., war to be drafted into the Army for
general military service"
Perhaps the most notable change
which il has been proposed to intro
duce into the Regular Army is the
principle of fexibiiity of organiza-
ton" the report added. declaring
that the provision giving the Pres-
dent the right to outline the tactical
formation will enable the Army TO
keep pace with changing conditions"
No mention of universal military
training is made in the report. but
Chairman Kahn announced he e1-
pected to appoint the subcommittee
which will investigate all questions
OF a training scheme and frame the
separate bill to be submitted on this
subject. The committee, to be com
posed of seven members. will include
majority of supporters of universal
training.
Inadequate. Minority Claims.
In a minority report. Representative
! Caldwell. democrat, New York. de-
clared the measure submitted by Mr..
J Kahn was mot an Army reorganiza-
! ton bill in any sense. and compla ned
| that the bill would not provide an
adequate army for the country.
| In many instances declared Mr..
! Caldwell's report. Il supported the
! proposition with the idea that they
/ were to be followed by a provision in
| cooperating universal military train
| ing. for which a majority of the whole
| committee. a one time voted. and for
| which never less than half of the com
mittee expressed their approval until
this bill was completed.
| The bill is not constructive, but de-
structive. for under it, it will be i'm
possible to have as large or as an
efficient force can be secured
i under the national defense act. While
the bill in terms authorizes 2?9.o06
enlisted strength. by change in term
; of enlistment and the repeal of the
provisions authorizing an enlisted re-
serve. it makes it Impossible for the
government to have under its control
at any time more than 900 men.
! and consequently it would be in a
position where it would not have use
for more than 1000 or 5000 officers
10000 at the outside. while the bill
provides for'l 5000 officers Under the
bill. as framed. the annual expense
will be ractically twice that incurred
| when the defense act was in operation
and will produce about half the
| results