South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-17
War SECRETARY
FAVORS LARGER
ARMY FOR u. S.
Believes Military Policy Needs
at Least 10000 Enlisted
Men.
CONFERS WITH HARDING
Discuss Appropriations a II d
Estimates of Department
for Year.

WASHINGTON. oct 16-(By A.
PJ-The mistaken opinion OF sec'y
Weeks and his military advisers that
The nations military policy cannot
5e adequately sustained with a reg
ular army of less than 1900 Of
acers and 10000 men was again
laid before Pres't Harding today by
the war secretary who was accom-
panied on his visit to the White
House by Gen. Pershing
The conference had 10 do with
estimates submitted by the war de-
Eartment for the coming year call
ing for total appropriations OF
sa29,Z87.5sO. as compared with cur
rent appropriations of $34O.S84.122.
The army budget. however. still
must be approved by the director OF
the budget.
The war secretary made 10 plain
that be had not changed in his be-
lief that the present army Of 10000
officers and 125.000 men could not
fulfill all Of the missions prescribed
by the national defense act. The
new estimates do not provide for an
increase In the regular force above
these figures. but Mr.. Weeks has
officially expressed the judgment
or the war department that only
most urgent reasons for national
economy would warrant continuing
the army at that reduced SIZE.
Army support High.
The principal item in the esti-
mates submitted were "a support
OF the regular army ar $212,IlT5l9,
as compared with S223.411,512 for
the current year Included in that
item however. is the pay subsistence
and clothing for all branches Of the
army including the national guard.
service and the overhead expense
OF all posts. camps. schools, hospi-
tails and other portions of the Uili-
tary plant used Jointly by regulars.
guardsmen and reseryists.
The estimates provide for main
tenance of the national guard and
various training corps at the expense
OF the regular establishment in or
der 10 cooperate within the bulge
figures For the guard a total OF
$50 912.O22 is proposed as against
S25.S15.OOO this year. for the re-
serve officers training camps $2,972-
$50 as compared with 81, 100000
These fgures with the smaller
items make up military budget
for next year of $259.42S.1I5 as
compared with 1881, 356.6Sl this
year. The non military items, in-
Guiding river and harbor work
reaches "a total Of $50. S90.5I5 as
compared to S79.736. 406 i'm current
appropriations.
National Guard Estimate.
The national guard appropriation
estimate is based on the computation
that the guard viii have an average
strength of 2SS.000 during the next
fiscal year. This would have requir-
cd expenditures of St7.592.990 and
it was thus found necessary to cut
the provision So that allowances
was made for an average force OF
only oI5 600 men The estimate SUBJ
mltted for the organized reserves
provide three months training for 100
officers and Is days training for
5000 officers with no provision for
enlisted personnel Of the reserve
For the reserve officers training
corps composed OF 225 institutions
with an enrolment of $4,000 stu
dents. increased funds were neces-
serv owing 90 increased enroll
r1ent. but no provisioR was made
for additional educational iusdtu-
lions 10 DO added 90 the lists.
Civilian military training camps
would receive funds sufficient 90
train $4,000 men next summer funds
not being available TO provide toI
the $4,000 men the department had
planned 10 train next year.