The Washington herald., 1921-06-07
Wadsworth Makes Appeal
Against Big Cut in Mil
itary Force of Nation.
SAYS BILL DEMANDS
100000 DISCHARGES
Secretary Weeks Opposes
Drastic Troop Slash in
United States.

Administration forces launched a
srive in the senate yesterday to save
the country from a return to the
unpreparedness which prevailed be-
fore the United States entered the
world war.
Senator wadsworth. of New YORK.
chairman of the senate military al
fairs committee, backed by Secre-
tary of War Weeks. appealed TO the
senate to stand firm against the
army appropriation bill passed by
the house.
Utter disaster" faces the army
il this bill becomes a law. he de-
clared. He proceeded to analyze the
house bill, revealing for the first
time how its provisions literally
would rip the army to shreds-
Explains House Bill.
The house bill" he said. has
never been properly understood. 1t
is popularity supposed that it pro-
vides Ior an army OF 100000 men.
AS a matter of fact, it calls for
the reduction of the army to 12O.OOO
men by the end of the year. 1t would
require the discharge of 100000 men
1t would mean utter disaster to the
army in the opinion of Secretary OF
War Weeks. He begs us not to do
it He informs us that II the house
bill becomes a law, there won't be
a combat unit in the United States
big enough or fit to take the field
in an emergency.
senate Bill Provision.
Senator wadsworth explained
that the senate bill, carrying appro-
priations of $685.. 100000. only S15,-
100000 more than the house bill,
would prevent the army from going
below $4,000 men. The estimated
strength of the army on July I. he
stated. would be 1000 men. The
reduction to 10000 men would not
be reached until about February Is.
1929. so that, the average strength
Of the army during the next fiscal
year would be about $50. 900 men.
He called attention to the fact
that the bill now before the senate
is actually S11.OOO.OOO less than the
measure passed by both houses last
March and pOcket-vetOed by Presi-
dent Wilson because il was too
small" He refuted the charge of
rXtravagancc further by showing
that since the republicans came into
control of congress in 1919 they
have cut s1.3OO,OOO,00O from the
army estimates prepared by the Will
son administration.
Opposes Troops Cut.
Senator wadsworth declared
against any reduction of the garri-
sons in Hawaii. Panama. Alaska
and other PaciIic possessions. On
the contrary, ne said, these garri-
sons ought to be enlarged. For this
reason the senator stated. the re-
duction of strength would fall en-
tirely upon forces now in continen-
tai United States, leaving not more
than $4,000 combat troops for SER
vice.
Senator Borah. of Idaho, declared
that the necessity for economy was
so great that nothing but savage
reduction of expenditures would
save the situation" and said that
if he had his way he could cut the
strength of the army to 100000
men. He expressed the opinion that
weakness of the army in conti-
mental United States would shortly
be improved by the return Of the
troops now in Germany Debate of
this point. however. brought out
the fact that there is no certainty
as to the time Of the withdrawal
Of the troops in Germany.
Army in Germany.
Senator Wadsworth reminded the
senate that the maintenance of the
army in Germany was costing the
United States nothing. All expenses
Of the occupation are charged to
Germany under the terms of the
armistice. he explained. He fur
nished figures showing that the
number of American troops now in
Germany is $4,000. The expenses
charged against the German gov
ernment to date for the American
occupation totals s27S. 100000. Ger
many has paid s37.OOO,O0O of this
amount.
That is no Justification for keep
ing the troops in Germany" said
Senator Borah. I'VE are interested
in getting Germany back on a
sound economic basis"
Senator Hitchcock. Of Nebraska.
Democrat. wanted to know about
the plans for bringing the troops
back from Germany.
Peace With Germany.
The committee does not know
what the President is going to do"
said Senator Wadsworth "Secre-
tary Weeks was asked about IL and
he said he could not discuss it"
Senator BoTah sharply criticized
the failure of congress to adopt the
peace resolution. He called atten-
tion to the fact that the republican
party had pied I'd itself to restore
the status of ace with Germany
as soon as it came into power. and
declared that the delay in putting
through the Knox resolution had
hecnrnh a snhiacf Of rihicnInI hrnnd