The Washington herald., 1922-03-17
Plans for Battle Before
Senate Appropriations
Committee.
CUT is ESPECIALLY
UNWISE, HE SAYS
Warns Many Military
Posts i'm States Would
Be Abandoned.

ST. AUGUSTINE. Fla. March Is.
Secretary of War Weeks is ready
to fight it out with Congress on the
question Of reducing the army per-
sonnel as stipulated under the army
appropriation bills as reported by
the House Appropriations Com
mittee.
In this fight the House Commit
tee has set $4,000 enlisted men and
1000 officers as the maximum of
the American army. Secretary
Weeks contends. and has the sup
port of President Harding. that
10000 should be the minimum
strength. He is preparing to fight
the reductions when the bill is be-
fcre the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee
would Abandon Some Posts.
Sojourning with the Presidential
vacation party. the Secretary OF
War expressed his opinion that the
reduction in personnel is Especially
unwise."
His words plainly convey the
warning that if the army were re-
duced below what the general staff
regards as the safety point, the
overhead Of military posts also
must be reduced even to the extent
of 100 or more forts and other
reservations, now scattered in more
than two-score States. In other
words, members of the House and
Senate are given notice that their
constituencies also may be ex-
pscted to make some sacrifice in the
interest Of economy.
viii Cut Rhine Army.
Weeks further revealed officially
that the American army on the
Rhine would be reduced to 1000 by
April Is
Reduction Of the personnel is es-
pcciaIly unwise unless the overhead
expense Of the army is cut in at
least the same ratio" said Mr..
Weeks 1T now costs about $4,000
per man per year, as against about
$1,000 before the war. DO not
know what the present bill contains
in details, but so far as am in
formed. IL does nothing in reducing
overhead expenses such as main
tenance and repair requirements at
posts which may we'll he aban-
doned.
what Congress should do. il it
desires to reduce army expenditures
is to abolish everything that is not
necessary for the military defense
OF the country.
Impossible to Man Posts.
with the necessity of keeping
one third Of the entire army on the
border and in foreign possessions. it
is impossible with a small force to
man the 29O posts throughout the
United States. Nine months ago l
asked authority of Congress to dis
pose Of about 100 pieces Of real es-
tate. all of which are unnecessary
for military purposes. l have not
received that authority. In addi-
valueless military posts scattered
throughout the West. originally
manned for defense against In
IF the army H. cut to 1l5,0OO
men. such places will have to be
abandoned. 1t requires about 5000
men on tho border and in foreign
possessions
Has I35.OO0 Mt Present.
This will leave $4,000 men to gar
rison the remaining 80 posts. The
10000 includes aviation, quarter
master corps. medical corps. etc. 50
that there remain only about $4,000
combat troops. This Is only enough
TO act as guards of government
property IL they are to be divided
among all the posts.
Il shall hope to have an Oppor-
tunity to explain the situation to
the Senate Committee and have
with me the exact figures on the
distribution Of the army il all the
posts are to be maintained.
The army at present numbers
about $4,000 men. We have au-
thorization of $50. 900. but strict Sc
lective methods are being followed
in recruiting and we are taking
only the best men who apply for
enlistment. A personnel of 10000
enlisted men would leave the army
with nearly the same strength il
has today. 1t is the opinion Of
army heads that this should be the