The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-06-12
PRESS COMMENT



Building the Army.
One 81 the most puzElinE questions
with which congress has 10 asaf = 49,
termining the size Of the army. Nurs-
ina a most c0mmendable ambition Il
reduce government expenses IN the in
ferest Of the taxpayers. conRress 4
inclined 20 cut army expenditures 10
the bone. thereby not only pro getting
the federal treasury. but az the same
time recognizing the prevalent sentl-
ment Ia this country against a large
military establishment
But there Is . line OF consistency
which should be observed. line ~
aemarcation between prudence and
false economy line. IN short. which
fixes the limitations 81 ma ionai safety
below which congress should not g.
The asccrtainmens OF that line ard
strict adherence 20 Il viii prove a test
81 the patriotic wisdom Of senators
and representatives
The present strength % the army I'll
22s.0oo men. and by the beginning Of
the next fiscal year July ], the number
vii be reduced % $4,000. IN the pend
ing army bin the house made proVi-
sion for an average army Of 1so 900
men during the next fiscal year start
ing with 2i5.000 and gradually re-
ducing the strength until Il reached
about 10000. The senate COMMITTEES
on military affairs amended that pro-
vision 80 that ~ contemplatea an av-
erage OF approximately i70. 1000. which
- 5000 less than the minimum adv0-
Gated by Secretary Weeks The senate
yesterday approved the committee
amendment.
Thus the question which confronts
congress Is not one 81 economy. since
every member ~ both branches II IN
favor II saving every dollar possible
n making appropriations II IL a qnes-
zion 81 judgment as offe.ting the ma
tsonal defense. Arguments for cutting
the army's strength down 20 the basis
fixed b. the house. or lower, based
upon pleas FOR economy. are unsiead-
Ing. The question should be deter
miued solely upon its merits. because
the American people. inteut as they
are upon eliminating extravaganza
aud curtaillng expenses. do not wish
10 weaken the nations arm u defense. /
When congress passed the army re-
organization bin Il provided the foun- /
dalton upon which an army ~ 1000. 600 /
men might be quickly built IN the
event 70 another emergency such as
overlook the nation ia April 1871
That foundation must be kept strong
and effective at an times II Il IL -
- relied upon an national safeguard. +
and II must rest largely with the
Judgment u the military experts. sup
plemented BY the wisdom 81 congress. +
to decide what Number ~ soldiers con- 4
stltutes an adequate cadre for this
purpose
The argument Is made that three
years after the signing Of the arms
tice Il Is proposed 10 spend sS5. 3ooo Geo +
on the army. while the appropriations
for that purpose before the war were
only siCo 000, 900 10 sii0.0v0.08o. That +
in itself - unconvincing. Previous 10 /
the war government expenditures were
eonsi aered extravagant when they
reached Si.000. 0eo0oo q year but now.
and Tor several years 70 come. they win 4
aggregate al least s400o .00o,o00 annu- I
ally with the observance Of strict +
economy. Consequently the army ap-
propFiations 40 not appear to BE- out
of proportion ID the increase ~ total
expenditures.
Chairman Wadsworth. 90 presenting
the btu 10 the senate called attention 1
to the manner in which war depart
meut estimates have been cut during
the last three years as evidence 81 tae
economy practiced by congress. For
the fiscal year 1913 estimates aggre-
gated g. 500. 600. 900. bat appropriations
vere held down 90 about $500 .ooo. coo.
rhe following year estimates amount
ing 10 about sI00o 100000 were pre-
scented 70 congress. but the appropfi-
atoms were only t3Q2 600 .0oo. IL max
ing % the bill for 1921. estimates to-
tailed nearly $3.50. 900, 600, but as the
bin passed Il carried appropriations e
ss4g 600 900. IL was vetoed, and ln
framing the pending bill congress WAS
obliged 10 use the same estimates
largely. As the house passed the bin
Il carried. in round figures. S220 Co.,
eco. and the senate committee has In
creased the total appropriations 81.
Geo coo. 20 s9s5. 600 coo. which amount
i SIN Ell ooo. 600 less than Was car-
red by the bill which passed both
branches IN the last session.
consequently. the charge u exfrav
aaanee VIII not lie against congress
n connection with army appr0pria-
lions, and q IL obvious that IN deter
minlng the size Of the army the de-
Gliding factor should be the national
This country does not want
4 big standing army; does not want
4 single file Of men more than wise
provision for the country's interest
demands. But n does want preserved.
Intact and ready Tor instant usr. the
framework upon which large army
nay be bulided QUICKLY should tho oc-
easi0n again arise.--WashinEtun Post
The Schools and the last