The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-02-06
HOUSE OVERRDES
VETO, 271 TO 16
Only 16 Democrats Stand by
President on Order to Halt
Recruiting.
MAJORITY A PRECEDENT
Wilson Message Warns Of
Profoundly Disturbed Con-
ditiOn of World
MAJORITY A PRECEDENT
Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington ID. c., Feb. 3.

| BY the unprecedented majority of
| the veto by President Wilson Of the
resolution ordering the Secretary of
/ War to stop all recruiting until the
army has been reduced from its pres
000 the figure on which the appro-
priation bill for the current year is
| based
The overwhelming majority by
which the House placed it's disap-
proval on the Presidents view was by
far the greatest in the long list of
vetoes of the Wilson Administration.
The little handful of sixteen that stood
by the President were all Democrats.
Supporters of President.
This Is the list:
Bee. Texas; Bland. Virginia; Camp
bell, Pennsylvania: Cleary, New York ;
Coady, Maryland Eagan, New Jersey;
Fisher, Tennessee; Igoe, Missouri; !;
McAndrews, Illinois; Minahan. New
Jersey; Pell, New York; Baker, Cali
fornia; Sims. Tennessee; Tague, Mas
sachusetts; Weaver, North Carolina !;
| yelling, Utah.
The action came in the House almos.
! Immediately after the reading OF the
I Presidents veto message, in which he
claimed that world conditions do not
! Justify reducing the army to 1900. and
| that such reduction would break up the
/ plan of reorganization provided in the
army reorganization act enacted last
June.
| The veto message in part was as fol-
| lows:
| II return herewith, without my ap-
proval, House joint resolution No. 40,
directing the Secretary OF War to cease
enlisting men in the Regular Army Of
the United States, except in the cases
of those men who have already served
/ one or more enlistments therein.
THE text OF the joint resolution dis
closes that It's purpose is to cause a
discontinuance OF enlistment In the Reg
ular Army until the number of enlisted
men shall not exceed q hundred and
seventy-five thousand. No provision is
made in the resolution for the preserva-
| tion OF any proportionate strength In
the combatant corps of the army. and
| mere discontinuance of enlistment
would for a long time preserve the
staff corps disproportionately enlisted
and the combatant corps insufficiently
| manned 10 maintain the instruction and
training which ought to be assured IL an
! army of n hundred and seventy-five
thousand mer Is to be efficient in pro-
portion of its aggregate number.
Reorganization Measures.
"On the fourth day OF June, 1920.
! signed bill passed by the present
Congress providing for the reorganiza-
tion Of the army. Because of the pro-
foundly disturbed condition of the world
and in order that full benefit might
accrue 20 the people of the United
Statos from the Lessons of the world
war as to what. under modern condi-
tions. Is required TO be the nucleus OF
an efficient army, the War Department
had recommended an army OF approxl-
| mately five hundred thousand men. The
| Congress- after prolonged consideration.
determined to authorize. and did author
ize. the reorganization OF the army on
/ the basis of an enlisted strength OF APP
proximately two hundred and eighty
thousand men, including In the organi-
zation new arms like the air service
and the chemical warfare service. the
use of which were developments of the
! war. and provision for which Is "A neces-
| sary addition TO the pre-war strength
| of the army.
THE act authorized for the FIRST time
Pin our history a tactical organization
| OF the army. resting upon divisions as
tactical units and required the training
OF the National Guard and the organized
reserve In territorial areas of the United
states I'm association with the divisions
of tho Regular Army. At that time the
l Congress plainly regarded the provision
then made as the minimum which would
provide for the added arms and new
duties imposed on the army and for that
efficiency which the peace time army
OF the United States should have as
the nucleus OF mobilization in the event
OF q national emergency"
There Was No Debate.
/ Following tho reading OF the veto
! message In the House. Republican
leader Mondell, In n two minute speech
said the question Of the size Of the
army had been threshcd out thoroughly
! Wnen the resolution was passed anu
/ that there was no need for further de-
bate. No one wanted TO talk and the
clerk called the roll.
The action on the veto followed COM
pletion OF the reading OF the army
appropriat tion bill for the next fiscal
year which is based on a further re-
ducticn Of 5000 men. or an army OF
10000. Vote on the passage OF the bill
was delayed until next Tuesday. when
a reading of the cngrossed copy OF the
bill was demanded by Representative
Fields tKy).
Members Of the Military Affairs Com
mitteo were surprised at tho Prosi-
I dents veto because OF the fact that
the war Department Informed Repre-
sentative Kahn (CaL), chairman OF the
committee. a few days ago that all
recruiting had been stopped on Febru-
AIRY l. The supposition was that the
Executive, because of this order. would