The New York herald., 1921-05-14
WEEKS NOW INSIST
ON ARMY OF 176,OOO
Says United States Should Not
Go Below Safety Point in
Troublous Times.
REFUSES TO GIVE DETAILS
Reduction in Pay of Army,
Navy and Marine Corps Is
Under Consideration.
REFUSES TO GIVE DETAILS
Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
WashingtOn. ID. G. May IL.

New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c.. May 13.
Maintenance of an army personnel OF
1850 even at the expense of curtail-
ing other needed appropriations in the
War Department, was strongly recon-
mended to the Senate Military Affairs
Committee to-day by Secretary of War
Weeks He asserted that cuts could be
made 50 that the total would be S1.000,-
900 lower than the S346.7o4, 900 carried
in the bill that failed IN the last Con-
gress, IL proper adjustments are made.
The House bill, carrying s320.7S5,S1S.
should be increased by the Senate to a
total of S345, 1855, Mr.. Weeks said,
or jump by the Senate of S24.933,94S.
all of which would be for pay and sub
sistence.
To-day's hearing disclosed that re-
ductIon IN the pay Of the Army Navy
and Marine Corps has been under con-
s,deration. Senator Wadsworth IN. ",
chairman, said that the subject must
be taken up in a separate bill in the
present Congress. The Secretary of
War admitted that army pay reduc-
ton has been discussed" but to no
final conclusion.
Secretary Weeks asserted that the
army would De utterly demoralzed II
the personnel were not maintained He
contended that the army Is smaller In
proportion to our resources, population
and needs than over In our history.
lie promises TO "be the first to recon-
| mend reductions If 1t seemed that il
could be done safely"
I'VE are living in troublous times"
he said, "and should not go below the
| safety point"
Asked by Senator Hitchcock CNeb.). ii
tho troops could not be brought back
from Germany, Secretary Weeks said:
Their return Is entirely problematical.'
Pressed for a further discussion, the
Secretary said he preferred not to be
drawn into 1t at this time.
Gen. March, Chief of Staff, who at
tended the hearing, told the committee
that maintenance of troops In Germany
was "relmbur5ablc"; that Gen. Allen,
their commander. received a paper
credit" and that ultimately the funds
thus realized would go into the general
Treasury fund, not TO the War Depart
ment
Secretary Weeks said unofficial and
hastily gathered figures that he had
submitted to the House committee, in
tended to impress the members with
the possibility of retrenchemnt in other
matters than pay, had been misunder-
stood by the committee. which, he said.
had used them as estimates" and so
referred to them in their reports.
MY desire to have 175.0o0 men in the
army was so strong" he said, that l
put my cards on the table and urged
pay for that number of men without
increasing the appropriation carried m
the old bill.
IF we provide l75,oco men with about
the same appropriations as those car
rled in the bill that failed In the last
Congress-" asked Senator Spencer
(Mo.), 'I understand that you will be
perfectly satisfed?"
That is true the Secretary replied.
But we cannot reduce the army TO
the figure of 10000 carried in the pres
ent House bill without disrupting the
entire service"
The Secretary said IL forced to reduce
to an average army of 10000 for the
year he would have to make wholesale
discharges of men who did not wish
to leave the service. would have to cut
the army to 126,0c0 to strike an aver
age since the present enlisted strength
is about go, 900. This would result, he
said, In losing many valuable trained
men, while further reenlistments later
would have TO be obtained at the cost
of about 500 a man.