New-York tribune., 1921-02-06

Ninety two Democrats
Vote for Bill Providing
tor 5000 Men When
President Returns It
Similar Action i'm
Senate Expected
White House Advocates
100000 Force Under
Present Circumstances
By Carter Field

vetoed the resolution directing Secre-
tary of War Baker to stop recrnitino
tor the army, the House of Representa-
tlves passed the resolution over the
veto by the overwhelming majority of
271 to IS.
The Presidents declaration that the
army was unevenly balanced at pres
ent, with the fighting units INSULT
ciently recruited, and his opinion that
the army should really be in the neigh
borhood Of 100000 men in view Of
world conditions, found little agree
ment at either end of the Capitol. 1t
IL virtually certain that the Senate.
also by an overwhelming majority, will
join the House in making the resolu-
tion law without the Presidents
assent.
AS the army appropriation bill carry
ing the money to be spent by the War
Department in the fiscal year beginning
July / next provides for an army of
only 10000 enlisted men, $4,000 less
than the limit fixed in the resolution
vetoed to-day, 1t was assumed by Con-
gressional leaders Kere tonight that the
President would also veto the appro-
pration bill when that reached the
White House.
Where Wilson Holds Whip Hand
Here, however, the President will
hold the whip hand unless the army
bill can be got to him more than ten
days prior to March a. If it is passed
later than that he can hold it until the
last moment and then issue his veto,
which would not give Congress an op-
portunity to pass the bin over his veto,
and as result would throw the army
bill over into the next Congress.
The action of the House came after
an attempt to pass the army appropria-
tion bill, On which general debate has
been concluded, was blocked by Repre-
sentative Fields, of Kentucky, who de-
manded the reading of the engrossed
copy of the bill. 4,
A summary of the ballot showed thaS
ninety-two Democrats voted with 179
Republicans in overriding the Pres-
dents veto. The sixteen voting against
repassage of the resolution were Rep
resentatives Bee, of Texas; Bland, of
Virginia.; Campbell, of Pennsylvania;
Cleary, Of New York; Coady, of Mary
land; Eagan, of New Jersey; Fisher, of
Tennessee; Igoe, of Missouri; Mean
drews, of Illinois; Minahan, of New
Jersey; Pell, of New York. Raker, of
California;, Sims, of Tennessee; Tague,
of Massachusetts,; Weaver, of North
Carolina, and yelling, Of Utah,
After the reading Of the Presidents
veto message Floor Leader Mondell de-
clared that the message contained
nothing that had not been considered
by the House when it originally passed
the resolution of rebuke to Secretary
Raker, and he called for an immediate
vote. Representative Otis Wingo, of
Arkansas, attempted to block the vote
by moving for adjournment. His mo-
tion was lost on viva voce vote.
Presidents Veto Message
The Presidents veto message fol-
lows:
''To the House of Representatives.
81 return herewith, without my ap-
proval, House joint resolution No. 440
directing the Secretary Of War to cease
enlisting men in the regular army of
the United States, except in the cases
Of those men who have already served
one or more enlistments therein.
"The text of the joint resolution dis
closes that its purpose is to cause a
dscontinuance of enlistment in the
regular army until the number of en-
listed men shall not exceed 175,000
"No provision is made In the resolu-
tion for the preservation Of any pro-
portionate strength in the combatant
corps of the army and mere discon-
tinuance of enlistment would, for
long time, preserve the staff corps dis
proportionately enlisted and the COM
batant corps insufficiently manned to
maintain the instruction and training
which ought to be assured if All army
of It's, 900 men is to be efficient in pro-
portion to it's aggregate number.
"On June a, 1920, l signed bill
passed by the present Congress pro-
viding for the reorganization of the
army. Because of the profoundly dis
turbed conditions of the world and in
order that full benefit might accrue to
the people of the United States from
what, under modern conditions, is re-
quired to be the nucleus of an efficient
army, the War Department had recon-
mended an army of approximately 500,-
600 men The Congress, after pro-
longed consideration, determined to au-
thorize, and did authorize, the reor-
ganization of the army on the basis of
an enlisted strength of approximately
100000 men, including in the ,organi-
FZatlon new arms like Cne air service
and the cFemiaal warfare service, the
use Of which were developments of the
war and provision for which is nee
essary addition to the pre-war strength
of the army. z
New Tactical Organization
"The act authorized for the first time
in our history tactical organization
of the army, resting upon divisions as
tactical units, and required the train
ing of the National Guard and the or
ganized reserve in territorial areas Of
the United States in association with
the divisions of the regular army. At
that time the Congress plainly regard
ed the provision then made as the min
imum which would provide for the
added arms and new duties imposed on
the army and for that efficiency which
the peace-time army of the United
States should have as the nucleus of
mobilization in the event of national
emergency.
II regret that I am not able to see
in the condition OF the world at large
or III the needs of the United States
any such change as would justify the
restriction upon that minimum which