The New York herald., 1921-05-25
SENATORS PURPOSE
REDUCING ARMY PAY
Military Affairs Committee
to Investigate Question OF
Adequate Allowance.
WOULD SAVE $25,O00.000
Demand for Economy Be-
hind Proposal to Be Effec-
tive Next Year.
INQUIRY LATE IN SUMNER
Larger Army Men Advocate
Measure as Permitting In
creased Personnel.
INQUIRY LATE IN SUMMER

spec,at Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., May "a.
Congress is moving toward legisla-
ton to reduce the pay OF the army
A programme for a preliminary IN
vestigation of the subject is taking
form and probably will be begun BY
the Senate Committee on Military AT
fairs before making appropriations for
the next army bill. and 1t is expected
to cut the pay appropriations from
s25, 100000 to s4o.000,oO0.
Those facts were obtained to-day
from authoritative sources In the Sen
ate Military Affairs Committee. 1t was
said the investigation would not be-
gin till late in the summer, but that
when it is done the officials of the
War Department from the Secretary
down would be called on to furnish al
necessary data looking to pay reduc-
tions.
Normal Conditions Awaited.
two reasons: First that pay reductions
il made. could not be effective this year
and therefore there is no need for i'm
mediate action. Second. because the
problem Is intimately associated with
the cost of living and cannot be ap-
preached inrelligently until more nor
NAL business and industrial conditions
arrive.
Naturally until the investigation Is
held men In Congress will not speculate
on the rate Of pay reduction. They are
practically a unit in saying, however
that the pay of enlisted men, and pos
sibly OF some grades Of officers, Will be
cut in the next army bill.
Secretary of War Weeks is aware Of
the situation. When he was before the
Senate Military Committee recently dis
cussing the pending Army Appropriation
bill he was asked IL there were any pos
ssbility of reducing army pay.
.Tt has been discussed" he admitted
a. that time.
Chairman Wadsworth On. W, Of thu
committee, tonight said it was a. matter
that must be taken UP in Congress. bu
did not indicate when.
Fair Compensation Sought.
Demands for economy are behind th'
i proposed reductions ana IL was Salu 10
day support for 1t may be expected from
! those opposed to as well as those favor
ing large army. The large army mei
believe that by reducing appropriation
they may be able to keep up the large
personnel. while the smaller army mel
| believe In II because of the resulting dc
creases in Government expenditures.
What Is fair compensation That 4
| the question to which an answer is to b'
sought Those who favor the investiga
tion emphasize the fact that enlisted
men, in addition to the larger pay al
lowed them, also receive benefits the,
did not have when pay was lower Thes'
include opportunities for vocationa
training. unlimited clothing supply in
stead of clothing allowance in casi
which amounts to q virtual increase II
pay: free laundry, which amounts I,
about S3,o00,000 annually: a bonus o
500 for reenlistment, although this is Gu
out OF the present bill.
The committee is well aware of th'
opposition that will develop to pay re
ductions. Officers, especially in lowe
grades. have already complained tina
their pay is too low to support theil
families. The whole question is to b'
approached a. an original problem to b'
solved in connection with changed con
ditions. commercially and industrially
growing out OF the world war.