New-York tribune., 1921-01-08
Senators Vote
l75,0OO Limit
For the Army
Democrats and Republicans
in Military COMMITTEES
Unanimously Approve a
Check on Bakers Drive
$75, 900, 600 Cost to US.
Senator New Assails Sec
retary's Policy i'll Exceed
ing Program of Congress

FROM Its I~5NrrS Washington Surc1I
ASHINGTON, Jan. 7.-Democrat.
and Republicans in the Senate Militarv
Committee to-day voted unanimously
to approve the resolution checkinc
Secretary Bakers recruiting drive. It
provides that no recruiting shall be
done until the size Of the army drops.
through expiration Of enlistments and
discharges, to 175, 900 men
Mr. Baker already has run the army
up through his expensive recruiting
drive to '228, 600 men. Senator Harry S.
New, author of the resolution, declared,
while the Secretary's announced inten-
tion is to keep on with the recruiting
until the total strength of enlisted
men reaches 2s0,Ooo.
The policy of Mr.. Baker has already
cost the country So 100000. more than
Congress intended should be allowed, >"
said Senator New. The country sim
ply cannot stand the expense
This action by the Senate committee
is expected to be followed at once by
action Of the Senate itself and shortly
thereafter by the House. Mr. Baker
has few If any defenders In Congress
in his present determination to spend
more money than Congress intended.
He did not nave one defender IN the
committee to-day.
Demand Cut to 10000
As a matter Of fact. four Senators =
Lenroot. Sheppard. Capper and Nickel
lar-voted TO substitute 10000 for
$4,000, and. on being defeated by
proxy otes held by the big army men.
Mr. Lenroot announced he would take
the hight to the floor oil the Senate.
After the introductory clauses, the
resolution. as amended by the commit
tee to day, reads:
Resolved That the Secre-
tary OF War be. and he hereby IS,
directed 70 cease all enlistments in the
regular army except reenlistments Of
men who at the time of the passage ii
this act have served more than one
year in the regular army or the army
OF the United States during the emer-
gency. until the number of enlisted
men snail not exceed 10000, or until
further and specific appropriation for
the pay OF more than $4,000 enlisted
men shall be made by Congress.
Discretion Given in Discharges
That until the enlisted strength of
the army is reduced to $4,000 men
the Secretary of War is authorized. in
MS discretion, to grant applications
Tor discharge to enlisted men who
have served one year or more with
records satisfactory to their com
manding officers, without regard to the
provisions Of existing laws respect
ing discharges.'
When the committee took up the
resolution evidence was submitted to
show that as a result OF Mr.. Bakers
recruiting policy the army now is verv
lopSided.
Instead Of dividing the food of re-
cruits. which have been pouring into
the army as result Of The highly ex-
penslve recruiting drive proDortionate-
~ among the various branches Of the
service or into the services which are
deemed OF the greater Importance. Mr.
Baker has been filling ur the quarter
master corps and a few other branches
Other branches have been neglected
lheir turn has not arrived yet and Will
not arrive under the Baker progra. y,
until the recruiting drive has run the
army practically up 10 2S0000 men.
Air Service Not Fully Manned
For instance, the committee was IN
formed that the arr service is not fully
manned, even on the 10000 men basis.
although the army now has more than
22500Q men. 1t apparently is at tne
bottom Of Mr.. Bakers list
Even the infantry is not regarded by
Mr. Baker as worthy Of place high on
the list, Tor very small proportion Of
the 10000 men coaxed into the army n