Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-02-02
HOUSE WILL FIGHT
FOR 10000 LIMIT
IN ARMY PERSONNEL
Anthony Declares Public
Demands End to Waste
and Extravaganza.
WOULD BRING DOWN TOTAL
OF ENllSTMENTS BY JULY I
Military Establishment Cost
$494,ooo,ooo for Fiscal Year,
Says Chairman.
lBy Associated Press. !

WASHINGTON. Feb. I--TalinG up
the s32s.ooo.o00 army appropriation
bill. the House in the first furry of
debate today showed i, Was ready 20
fight any attempt TO put the c,.lis,ed
personnel above 10000 men provided
for in the measure.
Chairman Anthony. of the appro
priations subcommittee in charg. Of
;hc bill declared that H. reducing
the amount provided for the army's
maintenance ii had responded TO pub
lie demand and effort now was be-
ing made TO put an end 10 the waste
and extravaganza that has charuc-
terizcd the military establishment for
the last few years"
In the hours time allotted him for
explaining provisions Of the bin. tn.
chairman was interrupted by = VOL
ley Of questions. The questions ,lew
thick and fast from both sides. in
dica;.nS strong suppoI; for AN army
OF 10000 men ana Approximately
] i.Gov commissioned officers
Declare. Iao,uUn Sufficient.
Mr. Anthony insisted this number
would be su;hcicu, Tor all r.a,,;r.
tncnts: that the NatIom"l Guard
would become an Invaluable adjunct
!! given the whole hearted suppor;
and sympathy OF the War Depart
inent. ana that there would he no
difficulty in bringing down the pres
ent total by Jul! !. the end of the
fiscal year.
After March I can guarantee
that the army Will he reduced" said
MIR. Anthony.
In fixing the maximum the chair
man declared 4, had been agreed
npon after careful study of the
country's actual needs. adding that
the United States was better pre-
pared than any other nation to fight.
hs IL had ammunition now on hand
that il could not use in twenty years.
Discussin. the question or civilian
employees the chairman said:
III this bill! is passed The War De-
par,ment VIII he called unou To per-
form a surgical operation that will
rid il o. $4,000 civilian employees
Gives CosI OF Army.
The total cost OF The military cs-
,ablishment this year was $4,000. :
900. the chairman said. while for the
next fiscal year the department had
asked for sGac. coo
Representative SisSon. of Missis-
sinp!. ranking Democrat. on the sub
committrc. declared ihat in adopting =
resolution directing the Secretary
o; War not TO recruit beyond l15. 600.
Congress was not prevented from in
s.*tine on a less figure He said
there were entirely too many civilian
employees. and told the House If he
could write new military law he
would abolish the army general STAFF
and shift its duty To the Secretary
OF War.
The general stan" he added.
serves IN the magnificent capacity
Of the greatest buck -passcr o: the
army"
Insisting AN army OF I5O.01O was
big enough. the Mississippi member
said there WAS no nation on earth
10 be feared, and that no part OF
Europe was in condition TO fight.
Consideration Of the b!il was de-
laycd by Nlibustering tactics. which
included many quorum calls, and a
demand for the reading of the
rinety pages of printed text by Rep-
rcsentat;vc McClintic. Democrat. OF
Oklahoma. who also objected to
unanimous consent for four hours
debate. The House got around his
objection. however. with formal
motion adopted on roll-call vote.
272 10 ..