The New York herald., 1922-03-14
SS7,996,OS6 SLASHED'
FROM ARMY BUDGET.
House Appropriation Also Cuts
Personnel to 1900 Officers
and lis, 200 Men.
500 IN WATCH ON RHINE
Troops in Panama and Hawaii
Cost More Than Whole
Army After Spanish War.

WASHINGTON, March 1s.-with pro-
visions which would necessitate reduce
tion OF the size Of the Regular Armv 70
10000 enlisted men ana II 900 officers,
the army appropriation bill, CARRYING
$27o,36S.O30.67 was reported to-day by
the House Appropriations Committee.
The amount recommended for the
military and non-military activities OF
the War Department during the coming
fiscal year is a reduction OF $4,000, 900
from the total appropriated for the cur
rent year and ss7.996,0ss.so less than
budget estimates
The bill requires the return to the
United states by next July of all troops
stationed In China, $500 men from
Hawaii, about 1000 men from the pan
anna Canal Zone and all but 500 officers
and men In the army Of occupation on
the Rhine. There is no limitation of the
number OF men in the Philippines.
The Withdrawals would leave 5000
men In the Hawaiian Islands and 5000
in the Canal Zone. The present actual
strength sof the army was given by the
committee as about $4,000 officers and
$4,000 men. exclusive of 1000 Philip
pine scouts.
Cuts I'm Appropriations.
An appropriation OF s27,s35.2so is
recommended for continuance of work
on various river and arbor improve
ments, for which the chief of engineers
requested $43.000,000. s12431, 900 for
the Dir service, against S15,0OO,00O re-
quested, and s21.130.2o0 for the Ma
tional Guard. about $4,000 900 less than
budget estimates.
The committee recommended $780,
600 for the chemical warfare service,
declaring that sum sufficient AT ap-
preparation of s2.750,000 is recon,-
mended for supplies and equipment of
the Reserve Officers Training Corps and
,S1,S0O,0O0 for civilian military training
camps.
The bill carries s7,74o.oso for the
Ordnance Department to meet, In addi-
t!on to other expenses, the cost Of main
tanning skeleton force a. arsenals TO
keep alive the knowledge Of the method
of manufacture"
The amount carried In the bill for sea
coast Notifications goes entirely for
maintenance OF existing defenseH and
constructing limited number of sea
coast guns. The total recommended for
river and harbor improvements is about
$4,000. 900 less than the amount sought
by the chief of engineers None OF 1t
will be expended on new projects.
For the subsistence of the army the
committee recommended s16,550, 600,
s13.oOO.oOo less than last year. the de-
crease being due to reduction to thirty
cents per ration.
Expensive tion.
The subcommittee, which spent three
months In holding hearings and framing
the BILL reported that "the excessive cost
OF maintaining the regular army over
pre-war expenditures" was found to be
largely due to the expensive methods
OF its administration"
1T seems to be the fixed policy OF the
General staff to station full divisions in
Hawaii and Panama" the report said.
Except in times of emergency 1t is not
believed such policy Is justified, as II
will cost as much to maintain these two
divisions In Panama and Hawaii as our
entire regular army cost us In the years
following the Spanish war"
Commenting on the cost OF maintain
ing troops on the Rhine, the committte
calls attention to Germany's failure to
pay the cost The committee also de-
clared that no adequate reason has
been shown for the maintenance of any
troops in China"
An appropriation Of s425.0o0 is rec
commended for the construction, repair
and maintenance Of roads, bridges and
trails in Alaska.
The bin also provides s6.67000o for
prosecution OF flood control work on the
Mississippi River and 100000 for sim
liar activities on the Sacramento River,
California.