The Washington herald., 1921-06-08
SENATE SUPPORTS
WEEKS PLEA FOR
ARMY OF 10000
Votes "a to 80 to Reject
House Cut; Peace Pol
icy Attacked.

The Senate yesterday rejected the
drastic -rmy reduction voted by the
House. and decided to back the ad-
ministration pleas for a SUFFICIENT
military establishment to keep the
nation from falling back into the
state OF unpreparedness preceding
the war with Germany.
By a vote of "a to 30. the recon-
mendation of the Senate military
affairs committee for an army OF
an average strength OF 10000 men
during the next year was adopted.
The amendment will require grad
ual reduction OF the army from an
estimated strength of 2l5,000 on
July l to a minimum strength Of
10000 men on February Is. 1922.
The House bill providing for an
average army of 100000 would re-
quire a reduction to 10000 men
by the end of the next fiscal year.
Voted on Appropriation.
The showdown as to the size OF
the army came on the appropria-
tion for the pay of enlisted men.
The House bill provided only S72,-
100000. The Senate committee pro-
posed to increase this to $4,000, 900
in order to prevent a reduction of
the army below l69. 200 men, which
Secretary OF War Weeks declared
would result in utter disaster.
Because OF the slenderness of the
Senate margin and tie insistence of
the House in cutting both army and
navy appropriations to the bone,
great difficulty is expected in Sen
ate amendments in conference. Ad-
vocates of the Senate amendment
throw his influence on their side.
The army bill yesterday became
the vehicle for sharp attacks on the
republican failure to promptly enact
the resolution restoring the status
Senator Reed, of Missouri, and
Senator Watson, of Georgia, both
democrats. charged that the repub-
licans had not fulfilled their cam
paign pledge to make peace as soon
as they got into power.
Reed Attacks Adni.istrstion-
I'VE have in round numbers $1,000
soldiers somewhere in France and
Germany" said Senator Reed.
What are they there for? Why
does not the present administration
bring these soldiers home? 1t is
no excuse to say they were sent
over by another administration. l
defy any living man to tell me a
good reason for keeping $4,000 men
in Germany.
The Senate long ago passed a
resolution declaring state of
peace. 1t is tied up in the House
why and by whom? The President
in many of his campaign speeches
pledged the American people that
there would be an immediate dec
laration OF peace. In his message
to Congress he declared he would
sign such a resolution IL il were
properly drawn. 1t was properly
drawn, but it is suspended in the
House, and / should like to have
someone who is in touch with the
administration tell the American
people and Congress why this Is
being held up.
Hints Mt Breach Of Faith.
The grapevine brings US many
mysterious stories as to the why.
One Is that a representative has
an ambition to have his name at
tached to the resolution in place OF
the senator from Pennsylvania,
Other rumors are te the effect that
the administration has interfered
/ do not charge that. because / do
not know 1t to be a fact, and
should regret exceedingly to find
the rumor verified: but IL the rumor
were verified 1t would furnish an
Illustration Of a breach Of faith with
the American people with few par
allels In American history"