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Show HAY OPPOSED TO THE ARMY PLANS Washington, Jan. n The first indication in-dication of what a troubled legislative legisla-tive sea the administration's plans for strengthening the army have beeu launched upon came today when Chairman Hay of the house military committee, told President Wilson he disapproved the fundamental suggestion sugges-tion of the program, the organization of a continental army of 400,000 federal fed-eral volunteers. Secretary of War Garrison, who framed the administration scheme, indicated in-dicated that the attitude of Representative Represen-tative Hay, before whose committee hearings on the army bill will be resumed re-sumed tomorrow, would not alter tho war department's insistence upon his plan, in substance at least. Favors- Pay Bill. Representative Hay said ho favored tho passage of a militia pay bill under a contractual privision with state soldiers sol-diers who drew pay from the tederal government, which would require them to serve in the regular army in time of war. He also proposed that present pres-ent organizations of the army be brought up to war strength which, he said, would furnish the number ot men thought necessary by Secretary Garrison, without any large addition of officers or Increase of overhead charge. The administration plan, which Secretary Sec-retary Garrison told the military committee com-mittee had the entire approval of President Wilson, would provide for additional regular army organizations to bring the total force up to 141.000, as compared with approximately 100,-000 100,-000 at present This would mean, he said In his testimony, approximately 800 additional officers, who would be needed for training of the continental force. Proposal Impossible. The secretary, as well as Major General Scott chief of staff, and other oth-er army authorities, has declared that no proposal to employ the national guard as first-line troops could be worked out that did not give the federal fed-eral government absolute jurisdiction over them in' peace as well as war times. Mr. Hay would not reveal how his suggestion was received by the president presi-dent He said that at first this plan would bring only about 130,000 men, into the regular army, but that he felt sure that within two years there would be 400,000. The plan also proposes to increase the present regular regiments of infantry in-fantry to war strength instead of adding add-ing ten new regiments as planned by the war department Mr. Hay thinks that would give the same increase in the regular army without adding to overhead charges. It will be about six weeks before the house committee will be ready to put the army bill before the house. oo |
