Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-08

Action of Congress Is Proof
of Tendency to Return to
NormaIcy in Hurry.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

No better proof of the tendency to
return to normaIcy in a hurry could
be given than in the overwhelming
vote by which both houses Of Con-
gress have just passed over President
Wilson'S veto the bill to reduce the
Army from 100000 to $4,000 men,
Democrats Joined the republicans,
not because of any desire to take a
slap at the White House, but because,
as several members explained it to-
day. public opinion in all parts Of the
country is insiStently demanding that
congress economize and reduce taxes.
neither party dares stand in the way
OF the pruning knife, and while, as
is customary during waves of econ
omy. some worthwhile appropriations
are lost in the shuttle, the desire to cut
down the size OF the Army proceeded
rather from feeling that for the next
rev years at least there would be
more than enough ex-service men in
the country to respond instantly to
an emergency call.
BACK OF the fight for larger Army
mas been the argument that while the
number of privates might be reduced.
officers could not be kept unless the
army organization were large enough
OF Congress seem to feel that plenty
or officers will be available for the
next fov years. at least. out of the
ranks OF the world war veterans.
Advised by Baker.
President Wilson sent his veto mes
sage upon the advice of Secretary
Baker, who. of course. lives in the at
mosphere OF the general staff, where
the desire to maintain a large Army,
oh
and particularly to enable officers to
hold their rank, is not an insignificant
or unnatural factor in the psychology
Of the situation.
In Congress, however. there has
been an abrupt return to conditions as
they existed before the war when
both the Army and Navy had to beg
repeatedly for appropriations. The
irony Of the present situation is that
while Secretaries Baker and Daniels
and the democratic administration
bore the brunt of the criticism leyeled
by the National Security League and
similar defense societies for the un-
preparedness Of the United States on
entering the world war, 1T is the re-
publican Congress which today is com
pelling the reduction 'ef the Army to
l75,000. and it is democratic Prssi-
dent who is contending for the view
point Of Theodore Roosevelt, who used
to say the peace-time Army of the
United States ought not be less than
250,000 men.
GLASS; Position Upheld.
The true significance Of the temper
OF the Congress cannot be judged
alone by the reduction of the Army
The spontaneous outburst in the SEN
ate against the suggestion from
abroad that America be asked to can
Gel the allied war debt is another
symptom of normalcy. Just as before
the war 1t would have been regarded
as out OF the question for the United
states to loan money to European
countries 70 assist them to reach eth
er political Of economic stability, so
any hint or remark that speaks of
loaning money to foreign govern
ments is promptly resented. This.
however. Is not only true Of republic
ans, but democrats. Carter Glass.
senator from Virginia, warned Europe
ury that America had ceased her
loans to foreign governments and was
going out of the banking business.
Republicans are taking the same posi-
ton, and the move to prohibit by
statute the making of any foreign
loans may go through Congress more
easily than most people suppose.
The reason for this attitude NAV he
misunderstood abroad as selfishness
or indifference to Europe's woes. but
it is really a reaction in Washington
against financial transactions with
Europe at a time when domestic re-
construction requires every resource.
Some Of our legislators, indeed. will
soon begin to betray signs of nervous
ness over the payment Of interest by
the allies on present debts, and the
deferring of those payments NAV oc-
casion even more controversy thar
the vague hints about cancellation of
the principal. In other words. fudp-
ing by the temper of Congress for
eign governments may in the not far
distant future be pressed to pay in
terest on the present loans in order
that the amounts which must be raised
inside the United States by taxation
may be reduced and thus Individual
income tax rates brought down.
Congress Is thinking more in eco-
nomic than political terms nowadays
and members of both parties have
their ears sharply attuned to the mur-
murs Of the populace for lower taxes
and less governmental expenditure
Congress has a genuine ECONOMY
streak the like OF which has not been
seen in this legislative generation.
Copyright. 1921