Evening star., 1922-10-27
PRESIDENT AGAINST
FURTHER ARMY CUT
Letter to Weeks Says World
Conditions Preclude Small ,
er Force.

The Regular Army at its present
strength, $4,000 officers and $4,000
enlisted men, "is as small as should
be contemplated, unless there should
be n decided change in military con-
ditions throughout the world Is the
declaration of President Harding ina
letter to Secretary Weeks, in regard
to the estimates for next year.
Secretary Weeks letter to the
President and the Presidents reply
follow:
Dear Mr.. President:
II 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 1 would be neglecting
my duty If 1 did not present to you
cer,aln salient facts in connection
Herewith.
Minimum Too Low.
1.-The estimate is submitted for the
l25,000 enlisted men and 12,OUO om-
GERS now authorized by law. and does
not express the military requirements
in order to carry out the spirit ana
object of the national defense act:
IN my opinion, and the opinion OF
military leaders of the Regular Army.
national guard and organized re-
serves, the minimum number requir.
ed to carry out the provisions OF
that act are 10000 enlisted men and
5000 officers.
within the limiting figure allowed
to the War Department by the bu-
reau of the budget, namely, S3l2,-
$4,000, it is not possible to meet the
absolute requirements of the exist
ing military organizations which are
authorized by law. However au-
vantage has been taken of the au-
thority 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 in
cluded within the limiting figure OF
s312.932.309. The total of the res,
ular estimate and the supplemental
low the current appropriations.
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 economy. with
a full knowledge that this means a
greater expense in future years to re-
cover from accelerated deteriorat' on.
Such a policy could only be supported
in the conviction of the absolute ne
cessity for immediate economy. The
budget is submitted with this idea in
mind, and should be considered now
and in the years to come in the light
of these remarks.
"RespeCtfully ours,
(Signed) JOHN W. WEEKS"
Reply Of President.
"My Dear Mr.. Secretary: I have
had under advisement your letter of
September 81, wherein you point out
that budget requirements Of the next
fiscal year have occaSiOned the for
mutation Of the War Department es-
innate on a basis which cannot be
justified except by the absolute ne
cessity for immediate economy.
although there has been some in
crease in the limiting sum since the
date of your letter, l understand that
there still must be very appreciable
curtailment in the military program
for next year. Disappointing as such
a course must be, l do not believe
that we are justified in exceeding the
governmental resources for the COM
ing year. Nevertheless there are linz
its in reduction beyond which we can
not 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 ex-
perience.
1T is intended to adhere to the pur-
poses and provisions of the national
defense act of 1920. Recommend
tions Of our war-tried military ad-