New-York tribune., 1922-06-06
Harding Pleads
Against Any Cut
In Army Bill
Letter TO Head Of Senate
Committee Opposes the
Terms of House Measure
as a Menace To Defense
Guard Training Urged
Allowances Made by Upper
Branch II e ! d Minimum
Consistent With Progress


WASHINGTON, June 8. - President
Harding. in a letter to-day to Chair
man Warren Of the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee. urged retention in
army appropriation bill Of provisions
for officers. enlisted personnel and
National Guard voted By the Senate
and opposed the smaller provisions Of
the House bill.
The President said he thought the
day might come when the army and
military forces generally could be fnr-
Their reduced, but added that for tha.
time I'VE must await fuller readjust-
ment and more stable conditions"
81 feel" he wrote, that the develop
ment Of our national defense system
under the national defense act Is OF
the utmost importance, and am salts
fed that the allowances made By the
Senate represent the minimum under
which even the most conservative and
modest program Of development is pos
siblc."
The Presidents letter was received
at the Capitol simultaneously with the
beginning Of the conferences between
House and Senate delegations on the
bill and served 20 bolster the Senate
conferees, who went into the negotia'
tions backed by two-to-one vote OF
their body in support Of the larger
army.
Fears Defense impairment
President Harding expressed thu
fear that were the House provisions
TO prevail the training and progress
Of the whole defense system would
seriously be impaired. He declared
that this particularly would be true
II any cut we're made from the Senate
appropriation for the National Guard
The House provision, the Executive
said. was so small that it would re
suit in denying the benefits OF sum
mer training 10 the Guard, and ne
therefore. supported the Senate item
Of s9,bOo.000. as against the House pro
vision Of Ss.5oO.ooo.
Provision for training a limited mum
Der OF reserve officers also was essen
tial, the President declared. II any
thing was 10 be made OF that branch
The President added that he regretted
there was not a graater provision made
for giving them training than vai
offered even in the Senate amendments
"as the government has thus fa- done
nothing TO encourage them In theii
voluntary services.
He declared, however. that the Sen
ate provision did offer the basis foi
the beginning Of training and woulc
allow 10000 OF the 0OO0 men 10 have
ffteen days OF the training. while un
der the House allowance nothing
worth while could be done
Senate Provision the Minimum
Turning 70 the subject Of the regu.
lar army President Harding said tho
regular establishment must supply not
only the officer personnel IL needs. but
provide officers for the more important
duties in connection with the develop
ment OF the National Guard. the or
eanized reserve and the system OF vol
untary military training.
1T is the great merit OF the nation
defense act" the President continued
that IL provides for the organization
Of our traditional citizen army in time
OF peace and for the additional profes-
sional officers needed 70 make such an
organization effective. ! feel that the
Senate allowances as 10 the number OF
regular officers Is the very minimum
consistent with any real development
and that a reduction 10 the numbers
proposed by the House would be dan
rerous.
With reference 70 the enlisted
strength Of the regular army the same
PRINCIPLE holds. The numbers proposed
by the House arc too low IL any trained
regular soldiers are 10 be made avail
able for duties in connection with the
training, administration and develop
nent OF the citizen army