Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-03-18
HOUSE DIVIDED
OVER Size OF
THE NEW ARMY
Kahn and Mcndell Republi
can Leaders Take OPP
posite View
EARLY VOTE EXPECTED
Three Cornered Fight on Army Re-
duction Seems to Have Obiiterated
AL Party Lines

Washington, March 1S.--A differ
ence of opinion was voiced by Repub-
Iican leaders in the House yesterday
over the size OF the army during con-
Sideration Of the army appropriation
bill.
No sooner had Chairman Kahn, OF
the Military Affairs Committee, eN-
pressed opposition to any reduction
in the enlisted or officer strength than
representative Mondcil, Republican
leader, declared he approved action of
the subcommittee which famed the bill,
in providing that by July the enlist
ed personnel of the regular army must
be cut to 200 men and the number
Of officers decreased TO | 600.
General debate was concluded late
yesterday and indications were that
the House would reach vote today or
Monday on sections o: the bill! relating
to the size of the.army.
With party lines disrcgarded to n
certain extent the House membership
appeared to he dividc/ into three main
groups-ona- determined Ia stand by
the committee recommendations, an
other 3rcuar!ng 10 demand az army Of
!OU, 600 men. while the third was lin
ing MP in support of the War Depart
mant, which requested pay allow
ancc Sulficicn: To maintain la0,00o
men ard $4,000 officers during the
coming fiscal year.
Republican members were said to he
represented in ali thrc" camps, while
most of the Democrats were expected
by their leaders To po!r the small
army" forces, Representative SiSson.
Mississippi, one of the Democratic
Of the subcommittee III
charge of the bin, having announced
ne would offer an amendment to re-
duce the number of enlisted men to
100. 900.
During his address To the House Mr..
Kahn took the position Il would be
falls. economy - order 100 drastic
q cut in the army'S size. He remind
ed his colleagues that Republicans and
Democrats alike during the early
cta"S Of the war had stood behind
Democratic President in ~ attempt to
build w an efficient fighting machine.
The "Splcndid example" sci then, he
added. should be. a lesson TO the
Approximations Committee which. he
in reporting the army ap-
preparation bill had diSregardad the
expressed wishes fthc Admnistra-
ton relative tn enlisted and officer
The Californian read :! letter from
Secretary Hughes, in which objection
was voiced to withdrawal of all rcgu-
lar army troops stationed in China,
as proposed in the bill
Mr.. Mondcll, declaring that the sub
which drafted the bill had
not gone too far in providing pay for
M more than 113.000 men and 900
officers, said he was convinced eff
cheney would not be sacrificed: that
the tor:c would be sufficient for all
Dcac"-t!mr purposes. and that ii could
be quickly expanded into an efficient
lighting organization in case of cmer-
rCncy.
Mr.. Kahn had the support Of Rep
Greene. Of Vermont, Re-
Of the Military Affairs Com
mticc and iaSO a member 0f the Re-
steering committee who pro-
eStcd particularly against tn" pro-
roScd reduction in the officer strength.
md Representative baIlmger. Rcpub-
i"an. Massachusetts. who expressed
:igoruus opposition to th" committee
During the debate Representative
Harrison, Virginia. a Democratic
rcmbcr Of the subcommittee Of five
which drafted the bill, declared that
Secretary Weeks, after insisting a few
sccIS ago on an army Of 10000 men,
vaS now showing Willingness to
lrrrp: a rcductioa that would bring
Inc enlisted personnel down to 1870.
roo. slightly below the present
strength.