New-York tribune., 1922-03-18
Debate OH Appropriation
Bill Shows Three Groups
Fayoring Varied Strengths
From, 100, 600 to 100000
V ote To-day Or Monday
Kahn Urges Support OF tho
Administration; Mondcll
for Cutting TO the Limit

WASHINGTON, March ia diff
ference Of opinion was voiced by Re
publican leaders in the House to day
ovor tho size Of the army during CON
sideration OF the army appropriation
bill. No sooner had Chairman Kahn Of
;he Military Affairs Committee cx-
pressed opposition to any reduction in
Representative MOndell, Republican
leader, declared he approved action OF
The sub committee which framed the
bill in providing that By July the
enlisted personnel Of the regular
army must be cut to 10000 men and
the number of officers decreased TO
! | 600.
General debate was concluded late
dag and indications were that the
House would reach vote tomorrow
or Monday on sections of tho bill re-
|aiing to the size of the army.
With party lines disregardcd TO Il
certain extent The House membership
appeared TO he divided into three main
groups one determined to stand by
the committee recommendations an
other preparing to demand an army
OF 0,0OO men, while the third was
lining UP in support Of the War De
partmert, which requested pay allow
anc6 sufficient 10 maintain 100000
mon and t3,c00 officers during the
coming Gscal year.
Republican Members Divided
Republican mcmbcrs were said to be
represented in all three camps, while
most OF the Democrats were expected
hy their leaders to join the small
army" forces, Representative Sisson,
MisSissippi, ono Of the Democratic
members Of the committee in
charge of the bill, having announced
ne would offer an amendment TO reduce
the nunber Of cr'lstcd mon TO 100000.
During his address 80 the House Mr..
Kahn took the position 1t would be
"fslsc economy" TO order too drastic n
cut in the army's size. He reminded
his colleagues that Republicans and
Democrats alike during the early stages
Of :h. war had stood behind a Demo-
cratic President in . y attempt to build
up an efficient fighting machine. The
"snlerlid example set then, he added,
should be 4 "lesson" so the Appropri~
atoms Committee, which, he contrndcd.
in reporting the army appropriation
bill lad d4ressrdcd the expressed
wishes Of the Administration relative
Kahn Reads Huxhes's Letter
Tho Californian rcuu letter IRON
Secretary hughes. lu which objection
WAS voiced TO withdrawal Of All regu-
lar army troops stationed in China, as
proposed in the bill.
Mr. Mondeli, declaring that the sub
committee which drafted the bill had
not gone too far in providing pay for
no more than 10000 men and II. COO
officers, said he was Convinced eli-
cheney would not be sacrificed, that tue
force would be sufficient for all peace
time purposes, and that it could be
quickly expanded into All efficient fight
ing organization in case of emergency.
During the tcbatc Representative
Harrison, Virginia, Democratic mem
Der of the sub committee OF five which
drafted the bill, declared that Secre-
tary Weeks, after insisting a few weeks
ago on an army Of 100000 men, was
nov showing Willingness to accept a
reduction that would bring the enlisted
personnel down to 10000, slightly be-
low the present strength.