Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-10-27
FURTHER CUT IN
STANDING ARMY
IS OPPOSED BY
THE PRESIDENT
IS as Small as Should Be
Contemplated Unless
There Is a Change in Mil
jtary Conditions,
LETTER MADE PUBLIC
BY SECRETARY OF WAR
There Are Limits in Reduc-
ton, Beyond Which We
Cannot Co.. Even in the
Cause of Economy,

OQQOO VI ECUIIUIIIyi
Washington, oct 26.-President
Hardings belief that the regular
army at its present strength
1000 officers and $4,000 men
lis as small as should be contem-
plated unless there should be de-
cided change in military conditions
throughout tho world, is stated in
q letter to Secretary Weeks made
public today by the war depart
ment in oruer to correct any mis-
as to the size of the
army, asked for budget estimates
Ior 1873.
Opinion Unchanged.
The letter was WrItLen in reply
to a communication from Secretary
Weeks, September 2l, explaining
to the president that while esti-
mates for 1000 officers and 49,
600 men were being submitted, the
opinion of military leaders, regu-
lar, national guard, or reserve, was
unchanged that the minimum
force to carry out the national de-
Tense act of 1920 was $4,000 Off
GERS and 10000 men.
In reply, the president said that
while he did not believe the gov
eminent would be justified in ex-
ceeding its resources for the COM
ing year, 'there are limits in re-
duction. beyond which we cannot
go, even in the praiseworthy cause
of economy, without destroying the
excellent foundation now laid for
our national defense and forfeiting
the accrued benefits of world war
experiences.
Weeks Letter.
Secretary Weeks letter OF Sep-
tember 2l and the presidents re-
ply, dated October q, follow:
Dear Mr.. President:
Il have this day transmitted to
the director of the bureau of the
budget the budget requirements OF
the war department for the fiscal
year. 1924. and feel that / should
I he Eegleeting my duty ie did not
present to you certain salient facts
in connection herewith.
"The estimate is submitted for
the 125,000 enlisted men and 1900
and does not express the military
requirements in order to carry OUT
the spirit and object of the nation
al defense act. In my opinion, and
the opinion of military leaders OF
the regular army, national guard
and organized reserves, the mini
mum number required to carry out
the provisions of the act are 15O,-
O00 enlisted men and 1900 Off
GERS.
within the limiting figure al
lowed the war department by the
bureau of the budget, namely,
$312,932,309, it is not possible TO
meet the absolute requirements OF
the military organizations which
are authorized by law. However,
advantage has been taken of the
authority of the bureau of the
budget to submit as supplemental
estimates those needs of the war
department which were considered
absolutely essential and which
could not be included within the
limiting figure OF $3I2,932, 309.
The total of the regular estimates
and the supplemental estimate has.
however, been kept below the cur
rent appropriations.
Expense in the Future.
"The resulting figures have been
submitted solely on the basis of al
lowing the material plant of the
army TO. run down temporarily, in
| the interests of immediate econo-
my, with full knowledge that this
means a greater expense in future
years to recover from accelerated
deterioration. Such a policy could
only be supported in the conviction
of the absolute necessity for imme-
diate economy. The budget is sub
mitted with this idea in mind and
should be considered now and in
the years to come in the light of
these remarks.
Respectfully yours,
(Slgned) JOHN W. WEEKS"
MY Dear Secretary:
"I have had under advisement
your letter of September 21,
wherein you point out that budget
requirements of the next fiscal year
have occasioned the formulation
of the war department estimate on
basis which cannot be JUSTIFIED
except by the absolute necessity
for immediate economy.
although there has been some
increase in the limiting sum since
the date of your letter, l under
stand that there still must be n
very appreciable curtailment In the
military program for next year
Disappointing as such as a course
must be, I do not believe that We
| are justified in exceeding the gov
ernmental resources for the COM
ing year. Nevertheless, there are
limits in reduction beyond which
we cannot go, even in the praise
worthy cause of economy, without
destroying the excellent foundation
now laid for our national defense
and forfeiting the accrued benefits
of world war experiences.
at is intended to adhere to the
purposes and provisions OF the ma
tional defense act of 1920. Recon-
mendations of our war-tried mil-
tary advisers as to the essential re-
quirements for the effective ana
satisfactory operation OF that act
cannot be ignored. I believe that
the army is now as small as should
be contemplated, unless there
lshould be decided change in mli-
Iitary conditions throughout the
world,
every truly yours,
| (Sirnedl