Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-24
REED FEARS LOSS
IN ARMY EFFICIENCY
Officials Study Hoover's Plan
to CurtaiI U. S. Military
Expenditures.

n the Associated Press.
High Army officials were started to-
day on a close study Of the program
Of President Hoover for curta1lment OF
expenditures Of the United States for
MILITARY purposes with the intricate
task ahead Of them of deciding what
branches Of the service offer the best
ppportuniti.s for reductions.
Secretary Good announced an EFFORT
would be made TO expedite the STUDY 81
expenditures In an>effort to apply any
reduction which might be enecteo 10
this budget to he transmitted to Con-
Tress early In December.
The war Department head SAID me
commission of general staff ot1cers pro-
noeed nv President Hoover to cononct
ths survey would be appointed within
q few DAYS.
The survey, he added. would he car
rIad out With the view of cutting costs
wherever possible without tniuring the
efhciencv Of the Army and national de-
Tense plans.
New Activities Cited.
Mr. Good declared that the survey
would have as one Of its major phases
the determination of whether certain
activities Of the Army which have arisen
since the World war have not displaced
IN usefulness end Importance otnet
branches Of the service. He cited as
fine new activities the National Guard,
the Reserve Oficers Corps. the Citizens
Military Training camps the Ar Corps
end notorization of Army UNITS.
The survey by army officers solely,
rather than with the inclusion OF civil
ian members on the commission. was
declared nv the Secretary to he log'-
cal step as the army officers were ca =
nahle and equipped to study the comph-
Gated organization Of the service
A program for reducing the expendi-
lures he added. had been under conSlo-
Grafton for some time.
The announcement Of the Preslden,
can,e as a surprise Ia the few members
Of Congress remaining in the Capital
during the recess. especially on me
House side A number of members VINO
we're In the city. however, expressed
their views and some were In conflict
with Mr.. Hoovers plan.
Reed Gives Opinions.
Chairman Reed NJ the Senate mill
tarv affairs committee. a World war
Veteran. said the Army had been
'rorkinc constantly to keep down Us
costs" and further reduction OF expendl-
lures might injure its efficiency He
attributed the higher expenditures OF
fine United states than other nations
TO the higher paw and better ratlons
of the American soldiers.
Another World War veteran in the
Senate. Bingham. Republican, Connec-
ttcut. who was an aviator, took an
opposite stand and suggested the elm
Jnation Of at least so of the ~ or ~
garrison posts of the Army. He pro-
posed that the Army posts he limited
to the three large divisions, such as
New York. Washington and Texas and
to Army Schools Many Of the posts
he added, were established during the
Indian wars
ConnaIly Wants Naval Parity.
Senator Connally. Democrat. Of Texas.
declared that reduction Of expenditures
in the Army could be made, but he
favored an American Navy as large as
that of anv other nation.
On the House side. Chairman Brit
ten Of the naval committee said he re-
fused to think of national defense in
terms Of dollars and cents He held
that while tax reduction was important.
national defense was more so and said
he would oppose any reduction In naval
expenditures unless England agreed to
scrap her ships under the 1921 Wash
tneton naval treaty. Democratic
member Of the naval committee, Repre-
sentative McClinttc of Oklahoma as
serted the Presidents survey would not
prove successful unless the commission
included civilian members.