Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-01-27
Senate Passes Measure
Fixing Military lnstruc-
ton Period At Ages Of
Is to Fl.
Standing Force Of $780,
600 Augmented by Cit
izen Reserve; Will Cut
Expenses to Half.

Washington, Jan. 26.-By vote OF
3 to >. the senate military committee
approved provisions providing for com
between IS and II years inclusive, and
ordered a favorable report upon the
army organization bill.
The compulsory military training
provision, which fixes the training period
at four months, was opposed in the com
mittee by Senators Lenroot. of Wis
consin. and Capper. of Kansas. repubi-
cans, and Senators McKellar, of Ten
nessee, Sheppard. of Texas, and Kirby,
Of Arkansas, democrats. Senators Wads-
worth. of New York. Warren Of Wyom-
ing. Sutherland. of West Virginia. Wat
son. of Indiaaa, Frelinghuysen, Of New
Jersey. Knox. of PENNSYLVANIA. and
Spencer, of Missouri, republicans, and
chamberlain, of Oregon. and Thomas,
Of Colorado, democrats, supported it.
Senator McKellar announced that he
would submit minority report in which
a number Of the senators who opposed
the plan are expected to concur.
Citizen Reserve Provided.
As finally agreed upon the bill is
virtually the same as reported by the
sub committee. but is radically different
from the reorganization bills submitted
by the war department to congress. In
addition to establishing compulsory
military training. the bill provides for
the establishment of one army to be
divided into citizen army composed of
men who have received the compulsory
training. standing army. consisting of
2SO.OOO enlisted men and $4,000 officers.
and national guard.
Plan Yearly Reduction.
Specific provision is made in the bill
that the citizen army can not be called
to the colors except in case of declara-
ton of war. To accommodate the reserve
force built up under the system Of
military training. provision is made iE
thebill for an annual reduction of ) per
cent in the enlisted strength Of the
regular army and per cent in the
number of enlisted officers for the first
five years. This will mean. Chairman
Wadsworth explained. that at the end Of
five years the regular army will be
reduced by 10000 men and 1.S00 COM
missioned officers which will greatly
decrease the cost of maintaining the
military establishment.
The bill also would place all youths
who have undergone the four months
military training on the reserve list to
be subject to two weeks training an
nually
Allowance for Dependents.
Under the amendment by Senator
Spencer, republican of Missouri, depend
ents Of such youths curing training
would receive the allowance the same
as now provided under the war risk
insurance act.
Establishment of the office of under
secretary of war. who would be charged
with the solution of the great industrial
and business problems involved in the
procurement of military supplies, is
provided, but the committee on recon-
mendations eliminated provisions which
would work 70 make General pershing
chief Of staff in place Of General March
the present chief of staff
Will Cut Expenses in Half.
The bill. il passed as drafted, Senator
Wadsworth said, will reduce expendi-
lures for the military establishment by
approximately one half. Estimates for
the war department and the army for
this coming year, he said. are placed at
S1.1O0.OOO.OO0. while the bin would not
require more than approximately $500
100000 annually.