Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-26
Editorial Digest
How Big Is a Little Armyl

low Big Is q Little AImys
Any hope of a further reduction In
the size Of the American Army seems
to have disappeared If the press cor
rectly represents the view OF me me
figure Of 10000 men when that hg-
ure seemed to be the decision Of Con-
gress, but when 1t was finally an
rounced that 175,000 was to be the
limit of our land and air forces
test that this was not enough
The Greensboro IN c. News Gn-
dependency declares hat now that
"the United States Ia, fatty refused
to associate itself WIZ, the only in
the eventual reduct; N in the size of
all armies" it is Gle .rly 1.-The business
of the country to look to its own
defenses" and "the job of defending
as far-f1ung q nation as this one calls
rather for a million men,"
While it reflects similar view the
Indianapolis News independently is
somewhat more moderate in its de-
mand.
IAN army of 100000 men," 1T says.
would be 4 very modest force.
would be expected to maintain even
as member of the league of nations.
The recon. lendations Of Gen. Perish
Ing. the Secretary Of War and the
military committee of the Senate. all
of which were overruled. are surely
Calling attention to the fact that
the chief duty of the Army is gar
rlsoning our possessions. which sug-
gests the probability that 10000 men
may be needed outside of the United
States. the Chicago Tribune nnde-
economy" to reduce the Army "below
the strength necessary for the duties
it must perform"
/ The Altoona Mirror independently
after reviewing the condition Of "tur-
mo1l' in the world and stating that
the great powers are not disarm-
ing" makes the ironical comment that
Gen. Pershing has suggested the
minimum limit be set at 100000. But.
CT course. he's only a soldier. and
Cleveland Plain Dealer independent
democratic) also reminds it's readers
that "the world situation is not yet
such as would permit the United
States to revert to its pre-war state
OF ofn, unprepparedness, and heads its
The Chicago Post Independently
considers that the voted $4,000 would
be Sufficient to look after the Philip
pines, Panama and do police work in
the United States" but con the basis
Of a semi-assured peace" beyond this
~
therefore votes unpreparedness" The
New Orleans Times Picayune (inde-
pendent democratic) is less emphatic
In its objections to the action of Con-
gress and admits that it cannot
judge" whether the question Of econ
omy or military need should have the
greater weight.
The Florida Metropolis (democratic)
also feels that "a reduction in appro-
priations" will place "a handicap on
all branhes of the services" and men
tions that the new Army is mo longer
university which has Is it's aim the
development of the men who make
up its strength" The Metropolis be-
lieves further that. regardless of the
talk about disarmament and the agi-
need an adequate Army and Navy
ane they should be the best in the
world"
The figure of $4,000. however.
which Congress selected, meets with
the approval of number of papers.
among them the New York Globe (in-
dependency. which thinks that unless
the nations sign away their present
establishments at disarmament
council or il we should care to com
bine Regular Army with some
s sihi. type of volunteer organiza-
ION we might do with less. but as
It is the present force lis consequent
~ as good a size as we can select"
Although the Wichita Eagle (n-
dependenD declares that Something
absolutely must be done to reduce.
the scale Of prodigal spending upon
which this nation is now operating"
1t accepts as adequate standing
Army OF 175.000. which SIS large
enough for the United states in
time Of peace. The Norfolk vir-
ginian Pilot Independent democratic)
q.
to "retrench." and says that IAN
Army of $4,000 enlisted men seems
adequate to provide us with a
margin OF safety until the PROSTATE
world begins again to show signs of
spelling for a fight"
Both the Florida Times-Union
tdemocratic) and Labor (Washing-
ton, D. c. oppose the bill. the for
mer on the argument that before the
war the United States maintained ar
Army Of less than 10000 men" and
conditions require no larger Army
now.