Evening star., 1925-10-09
FIGHT over BUDGET
BY ARMY IS LIKELY
Coolidge Determined to Cut
Expense and Personnel
Against Opposition.
by DAVID LAWRENCE.

Gen. Lord. director of the budget.
conferred with President Coolidge to-
day on further cuts in Government
expenses.
The President has given indication
that the Army and Navy expense
must be materially reduced. He knows
that inside the Army and Navy there
Is seethinS dissatisfaction as well
as a belief that the cutting will go
too far. Mr. Coolidge has anticipated
this opposition and his speech at
Omaha was his first public reply 10
the critics. 1t was not only that. but
an endeavor to justify some further
changes III the size Of the Army and
Navy which will not be relished by
the service men when revealed.
No Army Invuinerable.
"In spite of all the arguments says
the President, 'in favor of great mill
tary forces, no nation ever had an
army large enough to guarantee 1t
against attack in time of peace or to
insure its victory in time Of war. No
nation ever will ." No doubt
this country could if it wished spend
more money, make a better military
force. but that is only part of the
problem that confronts our Govern
ment. The real question is whether
spending more money to make a
better military force would really
make q better country.
Il would be the last to diSpara ge
the military art. It is an honorable
and patriotic calling of the highest
rank. But ! can see no merit in un-
necessary expenditure of money to
hire men to build fleets and carry
muskets when international relations
and aSreemnts permit the turning of
such resources into the making of
good roads. the building of better
homes, the promotion of education,
and all other arts of peace which
minister to the advancement of hu-
man welfare
his belief that the American people
have had enough of military service
and taxation and that hereafter
America intends to rely mot on the
strength OF our fleets and our armies
in international intercourse but ION
the justice of our cause"
Peoples VIII Cited.
Thus does Mr.. Coolidge throw
down the gauntlet to the advocates
Of at least as large an Army and
Navy as the United States has been
maintaining. And il is fully expect
ed that the President will employ
the much-uSed but effective argument
that reduction in taxation is demand
ed by the people. instead Of more
armament
The President is in a unique posi-
tion. because heretofore Chief Execu-
tiveS have had to resist the impulses
of Congress TO cut the Army and
Nav" 10 the bone. Civilian Secretaries
OF War and the Navy have influenced
Presidents to support, in large part.
III" Communications OF the general
staff y general boards. as the case
ma Ia, but with Congress inclined
to r'pEOmiZe 10 the extreme Mr.. Cool
id@' not likely to be found on the
defensive after such utterances as
the Omaha speech. His theory Is
that the Army and Navy can be cut
down in size and personnel. The
Budget Bureau has demonstrated to
him how 1t can be done. Both serv-
will attempt to shift the cut to other
departments appropriations, but the
Chief Executive has made it clear
that he will not tolerate agitation by
military or naval men. SO it will be
difficult for members Of Congress to
defend the Army and Navy without
eXtrac ting facts in congressional com
mittees.
The outlook IS for real battle in
committee. with Army and Navy men
hardly daring to do what Col. Mitchell
did in carrying his views to the press
in defiance of military channels
Copyright. 1925D