New-York tribune., 1921-01-14
Measure to Cut
Army Gives Way
To Nitrate Bill
Senate Expected to Adopt
Plan for Force of $50, 900
OK LIS, 900; Muscle Shoals
Backers Try to Force Vote

From The Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 Senator
Underwood, Democratic leader of the
Senate, backed by other Democrats and
several Republicans, to-day blocked
final action on the New resolution TO
stop enlistments in the army. They
took this course because of their pur-
pose to force vote on the nitrate bill
with the least possible delay.
Hating Of the New resolution, how
ever, is only temporary and it is ex-
pected to pass in day or two with
the support of almost the entire Sem
ate. The chief question with respect
to it is whether it will provide for
stopping Of enlistments until the army
is reduced to $4,000. as the Military
Affairs Committee recommended it, or
will provide for reduction to 5000.
Senator Lenroot has an amendment
pending, which was discussed at length
to-day, making the figure 10000. The
Lenroot amendment has strong sup
port, though Senator New, author of
the resolution, and Senator Wadsworth,
chairman Of the Military Committee,
are against it. y
Had the New resolution not become
tangled up with the nitrate bill this
afternoon, the Senate probably would
have passed it. The nitrate bill, which
involves development Of water power
at Muscle Shoals, Ala, is the unfin-
ished business and Senator Underwood
and Senator Gronna, who are leading
the effort to have the nitrate bill
passed, were opposed to delaying con-
sideration Of the nitrate bill to allow
the New resolution to be acted on. The
result was the New resolution was de-
bated for about an hour and a half,
prior to o'clock. Then the nitrate bill
as the unfinished business came up
automatically.
Senator Wadsworth was defeated, 20
to "a, when he moved to proceed with
the consideration of the New resolu-
tion and displace the nitrate bill, and
after some parliamentary wrangling
the nitrate bill was then taken up and
occupied the remainder of the day.
The New resolution went over, despite
strong appeals Of Senator Wadsworth
that passage of the New measure and
stopping eniistments would save the
country $2,000,000 day.
Senator'S WadswNfth and New
brought out the fact that the War De-
partment lately has been enlisting men
at the rate of more than 1000 a day,
and that it is conservatively estimated
the cost of an enlisted man is $1,000
year. The men now being enlisted
will serve their terms of enlistment
since the resolution would simply stop
further enlistments until the army
goes down to 175,000.
Senator Mcclellan, of Tennessee, a
member of the Military Affairs Com
mittee, opened the debate on the New
measure by advocating the Lenroot
amendment.
ut would take until September to
reduce the army to 175,0OO, and it
would take until next January to re-
duce the army. to 100000" he said.
Senator Borah thought that it made
no difference if war came whether the
country had 175,O00 or 10000. Eithe,
figure would then be inadequate, and
hence he could see no good reason 1oi
opposing the Lenroot amendment.
Senator Wadsworth explained there
were seven combat divisions in the
United States. The reduction to 175 600
would make two of them paper di.
visions and the reduction to 10000
would make four of them paper di-
visions, leaving but three combat di
visions.
Senator Wadsworth snid he did not
anticipate war with a foreign power
but he thought 10000 too low, ane
Senator New agreed.
Senator Warren, of Wyoming, former
chairman Of the Military Affairs Com
mittee, opposed the cut to 100000. Sen
ator John Sharp Williams, of Missis
sippi, made long speech in favor of it
and said he would vote to cut the mum
Der to 100000.
"The whole world needs an example
Of self-conidence and lack of distrus
and lack of suspicion" said Senator
Williams. ut is not necessary for u.
to have the biggest army or navy il
tho world "