Evening star., 1922-03-22
CUTSARMy
OFFICERS 1000.
Adjournment Blocks Fight
Over Enlisted Personnel
in Forces.

After approving. a clause in the
Army appropriation bill, which pro-
rides that by July / the number of
regular Army officers must be re-
aucef from appro Nimately 1900 to
11.000. the House adjourned yester-
day as it was about to plunge into
hight over the enlisted strength.
standing by the recommendation Of
the subcommittee which drafted the
bill, the House in quick succession
rejected three amendments which
sought to fix the officer strength at
different levels. By vote of 142 to
6S an amendment by Chairman Kahn
of the military affairs committee to
provide pay for $4,000 officers during
the coming fiscal year was defeated.
An amendment by. Representative
Sisson, Mississippi, a democratic
charge of the bill. to cut the number
of officers 10 5000 was showed under,
$50 to 40. A proposal by Representa-
tive Hull. Iowa. a republican member
of the military affairs committee, to
fix the maximum at $4,000, was voted
down, IFS to 65.
During the discussion of officer
strength yesterday. republican mem
bers of the military affairs committee
generally came to the support of Mr..
Kahn. Representative Fisher of
Tennessee, a democrat member of the
support of the Kahn amendment.
Chairman Madden of the appropria-
tions committee and Representative
Mondell, Wyoming, republican lead
er. however. rallied to the support
of Representative Anthony. republic
can, Kansas. in charge of the bill.
Mr.. Madden said Congress, in ap-
propriating for the Army, should
make an effort to relieve the tax
payer. at the same time providing
tor the security, of the country. In
dorsing the bills provision for a re-
duction in officers to 11,000, he said
a force of this size was adequate for
all needs during the coming fiscal
year.
Fair Middle Ground.
Mr.. Mondell said the committees
recommendation constituted a Sensi-
bic middle ground between the stand
of radical large and small Army men.
On the other hand. Mr.. Kahn held
it would be grave mistake to slash
arbitrarily the provision for officers.
Such action. he said, would seriously
handicap the War Department. Mr..
Fisher said Gen. perShing was ap-
pealing to the country for support
against a hostile" Congress which
was attempting to break the back
bone of the Army.
Representative Green, Vermont
republican. on the military affairs
committee, declared it would be
most stupid blunder. the most eyre
siors folly of fo,lies. if We permit the
art of war to languish among our
people. SO that they will soon be liv-
ing in a fools paradise"
Mr.. Sisson. pleading for adoption of
+ is amendment. criticised the Army
reorganization act of 1920 as one of
the worst pieces of legisla ton ever
enacted by Congress. An officer force
of 5000, he contended, was ample for
all peace-time needs.
At the outset Of maneuvering yes
terday Mr.. Kahn attempted to have
the whole section relating to pay for
officers eliminated on a point of or
der. He held that the appropriations
committee had usurped the authority
of his committee to determine what
should be the number of officers in
the Army. but Representative Long
worth. republican. Ohio. presiding.
orerruled the point of order on the
ground that the appropriations COM
mittee was attempting to reduced ex-
penditures and was acting within its
province in inserting the questioned
provision in the bill.