Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-01-18
Army Size
Now Fixed
At l75,000
Military Protests Cause Sem
ate to Increase Maximum
House Adopts Similar
.. Resolution.
Recruiting to Be Stopped
BY GRAFTON S. WILCOX.
f'btcu Vs Tribune .Dmaha Ree Ienhed Wire,

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE size OF
the regular army was definitely-hxed
| by both houses of congress today
at f75000 men.
BA a vote OF 4l to 80 the senate
reversed its action Of Friday re-
tlucing the strength of the army 10
10000 men and repassed the New
resolution directing the secretary OF
war to suspend cnlistments until a
reduction to l75,000 men was ac-
complished.
! A few minutes later, the house by
all almost unanimous vote adopted
similar resolution. The measure
now goes to the president, who il,
view OF the opposition of the War
department, is expected TO veto il,
Prospects are that it will be passed
over the veto by wide margin.
Urged for Economy.
| The resolution was urged on the
ground of economy. 1t is expected
to save the government approx
nastely S40,000000 year. The size
Of the army today is about 235OOO
men. Under the provisions OF the
resolution it will reach the 175,OO0
minimum about next September.
The senate's change. of mind was
influenced largely by the testimony
Of Secretary of War Baker and
General Persliing before the military
affairs committee and by the tele-
grams, of protest against such
radical reduction Of the army's size
from organizations throughout the
country. Mr. Baker considered the
reduction to, 10000 would be de-
structive to the basic plans OF army
organization and General Pershing
thought II would be unsafe to go
below 100000 men in the REDUCTIONS.
| Debate Jap Question
| Much of the debate revolved about
the Japanese question. Senator Reed
of Missouri and Senator Williams
of Mississippi poohpooed the "yel
low peril" while Senator Phelan OF
California. warned the senate that
the necessity for large garrisons il,
| Pacific possessions was greater now
than during the war. Senator Reed
said Japan would, never dare to at
tack the United States without the
aid of Great Britain.
"And if there is any danger OF
that" he said, this measure for
| i75,00O men is useless; we should
begin preparing for war on a scale
never before seen in this country"
Senator Borah of Idaho. charged
that the purpose of maintaining a
large standing army was to use it
| FOR policing purposes in the
United States which he declared
would increase discomfort. "No one,"
he said, would think of reducing the
size OF the army if there was danger
Of war with another power, but [
am utterly opposed to maintaining
an army of HS,000 to keep peace IN
| the United States. That would be
more deplorable record than Ger
many's or soviet Russia's.
Wants Care for Veterans.
He strongly. criticized the govern
nent's, alleged failure to adequately
care for disabled veterans of the war
kwifhi Germany.
| Senator Reed interrupted to s&y
| that the government in some in
stances has turned ware veterans
into aims houses along with the
other inmats. Notwithstanding the
wEitewash investigation recently
held l know that to be fact. 1t
happened in the city of Chicago"
| The only votes against the proposal
in the house were by Bee of Texas.
Blackmon of klabamt, Coady on
Maryland and Cramton of Michisau.
| There were 285 votes for the lifnita-
ton.
Secretary Baker told the house
military affairs committee some days
ago that the army now has about
$4,000 men. He has asked for
deficiency appropriation for the
army for the present year of about
| S70,0O0,0OO 1t was stated i'll the
house that about $50,000,0GO of this
was for pay for the army.
Planned for 100000.
The army reorganization bill
passed by the republican congress
last spring called for an army OF
$4,000 men. The appropriation bill
that was passed later carried pay for
l7o,0O0 men. 1t was thought by the
republicans that Secretary Baker
would not recruit the army beyond
the size provided for in the pay bill.
Secretary Baker told military affairs
committee he. felt bound by the re-
organization bill, and refused TO
subject himself TO criticism for not
bringing the country up to condi-
ton of preparedness provided bv Law.
We have never had such con,
temptuous example of violation OF
the will OF the people or OF the Haunt
ing OF tho expressed wishes Of the
house.' said Republican, Leader MoS-
dell. "Thc democratic leaders oS
congress who are defending the
secretary of war should be thankful
that this is not a measure of censure
for the secretary. But others in ad-
Ininistrative Office under this ad-
mnistratiou have defied the law"
Chairman Kahn OF the military al
fairs committee said, that under both
the Roosevelt and Taft administra-
tons congress had not appropriated
ior me full strength of the army and
the then secretaries OF war had re-
cruited only up To the nav strength.