The Washington herald., 1921-05-01
HOUSE VOTES
10000 ARMY
BY COALITION
Weeks and Republican
Leaders Plans
Upset.
POLL OF COMMITTEE
OF WHOLE is 1O9 TO 80
First Insurgency" May
Be Undone on Final
Vote Tomorrow.

Reduction of the standing army
Of the United States to an average
Of 100000 men during the fiscal
year ending June 20. 1922. was ap-
proved by the House m committee
IF the Whole yesterday. The vote
vas IOs to 81.
\ combination of Democrats and
little army" Republicans effected
he reduction, despite the appeals
# Republican leaders that the size
,e fixed at 16S.oOo. Secretary Of
Mar Weeks had urged that the
lumber be 17S,000.
The vote yesterday indicated that
more than One-third of the House
Republicans will refuse to follow
,arty leadership for a larger army.
Ignore MondeII's Appeal.
The breaking away of the big
block of Republican votes followed
an appeal of Republican Leader
Mondeu for an army of $4,000 and
marked the first insurgency in the
party's ranks in the House this
session.
The Democrats present, with one
on-Representative Harrison
Sirginia-voted for the reduction,
and broke into cheers when Re
publican leaders were defeated.
should the action taken by the
House become law, it probably will
mean. according to figures OF the
war Department, that the army
must be cut down to about 12S,OOO
5y July l, 1922. At present the
strength is above 100000 and 1t Is
admitted that it will be impossible
20 reduce this down to 10000 by
July l of this year. Consequently
TO maintain an average Of 100000
SO that the appropriation of s72'-
100000 for army pay will be ade-
auate. it is apparent that the
strength must be cut considerably
below 100000 during the last Six
months of the next fscal year.
same as Last season.
The figure approved is the same
as the House included in the army
appropriation bill at the last ses-
sion of Congress. A compromise be-
tween the Senate and the House
resulted in an increase to $4,000,
but the bill with this number was
poeket-vetoed by former President
Wilson.
Secretary Weeks agreed to cut
pther items in the army appropria-
tion bill, if the size of the army
we're fixed at 1T5.000. Because of his
views, the House Appropriations
Committee had increased the
strength from 156.000 to 16s,000.
The final vote on the appropria-
tion bill will not be taken until
tomorrow.
The anne endment to reduce the
army to 10000 was offered by
Representative Byrnes, S. c.. who
claimed that the need for govern
mental economy demanded the cut.
Representative Hamilton Fish, jr.,
sought to reduce it to 156.OoO.
Parliamentary Trick.
Due to a Democratic parliament
tary trick the Fish amendment first
was adopted. Then it was rejected
and the Byrnes amendment ap-
proved. Representative Kahn. Cali |
fornia. proposed to carry out the |,
Recommendations of Secretary of |
War Weeks, but due TO parliament !
AIRY tactics. a direct vote on this /!
amendment was not taken.
The debate today brought up the !
question as to whether in reducing !
the army, the War Department can /
discharge men who do not desire |
to leave the army. Representative /
Anthony, of Kansas, Sisson. of Mis- (
sissippi, and ByTnes insisted that a /
provision of the army enlistment
blank allowed such action.
Claims Bad Faith.
Kahn claimed the Department
would be violating its contracts
and acting in bad faith if il forced /
men to quit the army before their
enlistment expired. He claimed the
provision allowing the discharge
Of men previous to the expiration
of enlistments applied only to dis /
honorable discharges.
The bill includes a provision di-
recting the Secretary of War to
discharge all men who desire to
leave the army. sr l.
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