New-York tribune., 1920-12-25
Aims
10 MakeB Baker
Cut Expenses
100000 Are in Army Now,
While Appropriation Is
for I75,OOO, and Re-
cruiting Is in Full Blast
Secretary Is Adamant
Deaf to Pleas, Holding
100000 Maximum Set
by Law To Be Command
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24-Even the
extreme big army men have agreed
that Congressional action must be
taken to check Secretary Bakers ex-
penditures.
Despite the general desire to cut
down governmental expenditures so
that the tax burden on the people can
be made lighter, the recruiting drive
Of the War Department is being con-
tinued, although the army now is more
than $4,000 - almost $4,000 - larger
than intended or provided for by the
appropriations made at the last ses-
sion
Leading members of both houses Of
Congress, including Chairman Wads-
worth of the Senate Military Affairs
Committee, have appealed to Mr..
Baker to stop the recruiting. Mr.
Bakers reply is that he intends to
press the recruiting campaign with
all his vigor, despite the fact that the
recruiting drive in Itself is very
expensive operation, until the army
reaches the full strength permitted by
the army reorganization act, which is
approximately 100000 enlisted men.
This total would be 1926 900 men more
than was provided for in the appro-
priations.
Feeling Runs High
Mr. Baker told Senator Wadsworth
fatty that he regarded the army reor-
q a f..tn %<
get the army to that strength K pos
sible. He waved aside contentious that
this figure was fixed as maximum
and that Congress plainly intended
last year, in fixing the appropriations
to take care Of only 175,000 men, to
save money.
Not only that, but Mr. Baker has
served notice on Senators and members
Of the House that nothing will stop
him short Of a resolution passed by
both houses Of Congress. He will pay
no attention, he said, either to indi-
vidual protests or even to any action
which the military committees of the
House and Senate may take
Feeling in Congress and especially
in the lower house is running very
high as a result ard it needs only a
casual investigation to make it clear
that the outcome is not going to be
good for the army for the next few
years. This War Department policy is
making recruits for the small army
men in both houses at rate which is
giving junior army officers-who arc
looking for promotions to high grades
before they reach the age of retire
ment-serious concern. The flow Of
promotions in an army which is being
cut down in size is not very encourag-
CT
fingers in Washington Of grayhaired
lieutenants and whitewhiskered cap
tains following similar reducing
operation after the Civil War.
The plan agreed on for curtailing
Bakers recruiting drive is to tack a
rider on the first deficiency appropria-
tion bill carrying money for the War
Department directing hat recruiting
be stopped. SO unanimoNs is the senti-
ment against Baker on this point that
no one doubts the rules of both houses
could be suspended # there is any OBJ
lection.
Will Run Out of Funds Soon
The War Department, due to its re-
cruiting, will run out Of funds very
early in the spring, long before the end
of the fiscal year, and it is thought
necessary to do something of the sort
to check Mr.. Baker. When the regular
appropr: alton bin comes long the small
army men will test their strength by
trying to insert a rider providing that
not one cent of the money shall be
spent to maintain an army in excess of
10000 men. But the difference be-
tween the figure they advocate and that
Of the big army men is not staggering.
The big army men will be willing to
limit the army to 175,000 men-just the
number appropriated for this year.