Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-22
House Unit Votes
Funds for Conscripts;
Cavalry Modernized
Strength Of Divisions
Raised TO 500 Officers
And $500 Men

And $500 Men
The program of preparing the
Army for adequate national defense
gained further momentum yeSter-
day as a House Appropriate sub
committee approved a 81 500 900 900
bill providing funds TO pay, feed and
Clothe C0nSCriptS and the cavalry
was modernized to increase its
mechanization and give it trench
dous fire power
The appropriation bill-the last
maj or defense measure expected
this session of CongreSS-Will be
submitted to the full Appropria-
tons Committee early this week
and probably will come up for con-
sideration in the House by Thurs
day, Subcommittee CHI I'm a n
Woodruff announced.
At the War Department, it was
learned that reorganization of the
cavalry is based on observations OF
the European war and maneuvers
during the past two years.
Strength To Be Increased.
Strength of the cavalry divisions
will be increased from 500 officers
and $500 enlisted men to 900 officers
and $500 men. The number OF
horses in the new division will be
reduced from 5000 to 5000 under
present plans, while motor vehicles
will be increased from $50 to 300.
/ Still pending in Congress, how
ever. is legislation to buy several
thousand more horses for the army
In all, more than $1,000 horses are
! expected to be purchased under the
program.
Plans to handle the CONSUMPTION
program went forward as the Ma
ton made ready to register An esti-
mated l6,400,000 men from 81
through IS years of age on October
16. The first group will be called
to training in November.
! In order to speed construction of
housing for the first set Of con-
scripts, legislation for barracks,
which originally had been included
in the pending appropriation meas
ure. last week was passed separately
with an appropriation of 1898 UO0,,-
900.
Although President Roosevelt at
Hyde Park yesterday appointed six
members on the Civilian Advisory
Committee for the draft. he has
still to announce the appointment
of a Selective service commissioner
to head the national draft organ
iZation.
Will Add Anti-Tank Troop.
Reorganization of the cavalry will
not change the signal troop. head
quarters troop and division head
quarters, but an anti-tank troop will
be added with the inclusion of
dozen 37-mm. anti-tank guns.
The reconnaissance squadron will
include two troops, a combat car
unit and small headquarters force
A motorcycle troop will be added to
provide highly mobile reserve of
riflemen.'
Under conditions Of modern war
fare, mobile engineers are essen
tial for the destruction of hostile
barriers to motor transportation. it
was pointed out. The new cavalry
engineer squadron will have two
large troops. In addition, con-
struction and repair men will be
available ito enhance the progress
of their own troops
The new division organization will
be applied to the two cavalry divi-
sions of the Regular Army. The
LIST Cavalry will be concentrated at
Fort Bliss, Tex, and the I'd Cav
airy will be located at Fort Riley
KanS.
Auxiliary Units Added.
In recognizing the outfit into
powerful and heavy striking forces,
there is included the reconnaissance
squadron and anti-tank troops
! Other auxiliary attachments have
been increased.
Artillery support of the column is
now available through "a howitzers
of IS nm. and II howitzers of
los nm. This includes the addi-
ton of third battalion to the
artillery regiment.
| Further strength is given the re-
modelled unit through the use Of
12-ton tanks. The quartermaster
squadron was increased to meet
supply need. Movement of horses
where possible will be made by
truck. il was said.
Within the modernized cavalry
regiment will be tbs machine guns,
268 anti-tank machine guns, $40
submachine guns, So anti-tank guns
of 81 NM, "a howitzers of Is NM,
II howitzers of los NM, Is mortars,
$500 pistols, and 1000 semi-auto-
matte rifles.
In order to complete the organi-
Zation of each of the nine Army
corps now being organized, seven
additional cavalry reconnaissance
regiments are being created from
National Guard cavalry units.
Experiments during recent ma
neuvers, department officials said
has indicated that 1t is essential
for each of the new streamlined d.
visions to have a mechanical cavalry
reconnaissance troop.