MILITARY ACTIVITIES HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF HOUSE COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF MESSRS. DANIEL R. ANTHONY, JR. (CHAIRMAN), IN CHARGE OF WAR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL FOR 1926 SIXTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ᏢᎪᎡᎢ 1 TESTIMONY ON TITLE I OF THE BILL COMPRISING THE MILITARY ACTIVITIES OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT WAR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL, 1926 HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE, MESSRS. DANIEL R. ANTHONY, JR. (CHAIRMAN), L. J. DICKINSON, HENRY E. BARBOUR, BEN JOHNSON, AND THOMAS W. HARRISON, OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN CHARGE OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1926, ON THE DAYS FOLLOWING, NAMELY: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1924.. Mr. ANTHONY. The committee will hear General Nolan this morning. You are Acting Chief of Staff at the present time, General? STATEMENT OF BRIG. GEN. DENNIS E. NOLAN, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, WAR DEPARTMENT GENERAL STAFF ESTIMATES FOR 1926 General NOLAN. Yes, sir; in the absence of General Hines. ment! General NOLAN. Deputy Chief of Staff. Mr. ANTHONY. We would like to take up with you, General Nolan, the matter of the present status of the Army and have you give us an idea of conditions as they are at the present time, and what you contemplate doing in reference to the Military Establishment during the next fiscal year under the estimates submitted by the Budget. General NOLAN. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before your committee that I may give you a short statement concerning the military items of the War Department's budget for the fiscal year 1926. I will confine my remarks to the question of general policies and ask you to permit me to leave the details of the appropriations to the witnesses from the various branches and staff departments who have the best knowledge of their particular items. General Hines, the Chief of Staff, is absent from the city and will be back a little later when he will be available if you need him for further elucidation of any matter of policy. I know he will be glad to appear before your committee and assist you in every way possible upon his return. Work on the budget now before you was commenced last winter while you were conducting the hearings for the current appropriation of the War Department. At that time the financial policy of the President in connection with the fiscal year 1926 had not been announced. After most careful study the War Department constructed a program for the military forces of the Nation for the 1 fiscal year now under consideration. It was based upon the Regular Army with an average strength slightly below that authorized by law and provided for a moderate growth of the civilian components. That estimate was transmitted to the Bureau of the Budget. The Bureau of the Budget indicated the President's policy by furnishing the department with a limiting figure, and with authority to submit a supplemental statement of essential requirements. Upon receipt of this information the program was amended so as to provide a personnel for the Regular Army as now appears in this budget, and for a small increase in the civilian components. After holding extensive hearings the Director of the Bureau of the Budget returned to the Secretary of War the budget we are now defending, a budget for $259,685,274 as against $260,943,575 for last year, approximately $1,250,000 less than the 1925 appropriation bill. However, if account is taken of the contractual authorization prescribed for the Air Service of $2,150,000, which is to be met by later appropriations, the net is approximately $900,000 more than the appropriation for the current year, which is $260,943,575. For the Regular Army the average enlisted strength is for 95 per cent of that authorized by law, the same as is possible under the current appropriation. It is worthy of note, however, that in July of this calendar year, without any special recruiting effort, our enlisted strength, 122,116, was over 3,000 in excess of our average pay strength. That demonstrated that we would have no difficulty in recruiting the Army to the legal strength of 125,000 had there been sufficient funds for supporting that number. The items in this budget for the civilian components of the Army are slightly less than those for the current fiscal year, except in the case of the R. O. T. C., which is identical. However, these civilian components have been enjoying free issues of certain supplies that we have had on hand, due to our war stocks, and these gratuitous issues will be greatly reduced. For that reason, although the sums of money are very similar as compared with the current year, the number of personnel that can be supported and trained under those items is less by reason of the amount of free issues. During the conferences in the preparation of the budget the estimating agencies were present and were heard with reference to the War Department program, and were told where the cuts in their estimates were to be made. The program was modified and the effect of the changes and reductions were freely discussed with them. They were given the modifications of the program which these revisions involved. I mention this procedure in order that your committee may know that you have before you a well-prepared estimate. The computations have been made most carefully and the department hopes that all the amounts requested in the estimate will be allowed. The training program that will be possible under this budget is based in general upon that for the current fiscal year. It is proposed to move the regular troops to the summer training camps by marching, as was done last year, where economy can be effected by that method. The Regular Army is now distributed in a manner to train the civilian components with the minimum amount of travel on the part of both the Regular Army and those receiving instruction. In NATIONAL GUARD The National Guard, in connection with its recruiting, has had an experience similar to that of the Regular Army, as in September it reached a strength of nearly 190,000 officers and men-189.605— showing the popularity and public approval of this component of the Army of the United States. The past experience has been that of those carried on the roll for armory drill pay, there is a loss of about 15 per cent in the aggregate when the organizations attend camp. past years we have had more money for armory drill than we were able to use, due to failure to recruit the number of men anticipated. At the present time, due to increase in recruiting and to the legislation passed by Congress at the last session, wherein members of the National Guard now receive all the allowances of the Regular Army when they were absent from their home stations, and wherein they are paid for the attendance at drills by detachments; that is, the so-called split drill, the pay cost of the National Guard will be somewhat higher, and that has been taken into account in the estimates as they will be submitted to you by the Chief of the Militia Bureau. The sum in this budget will provide for an average armory strength of 173,498 and a summer-camp strength of 152,300. We will be unable to recognize any new units, but it is hoped that by reducing the strength of some of the present ones there will be no necessity for withdrawing Federal recognition from any unit now in existence. However, it will be necessary to eliminate the attendance of officers and men at the four-day schools and at the State rifle competitions. Furthermore, the number of caretakers must be reduced or a reduction made in their pay, and it is doubtful that these reductions can be made without a corresponding deterioration in Government property entailing an ultimate loss greater than the cost of the caretakers. It is well to emphasize that the National Guard is now under the same necessity as other civilian components of paying for many supplies that heretofore have been free issues. Mr. ANTHONY. Does that mean you contemplate a reduction of the National Guard strength, under its present strength, in order to keep within the amount you are asking for for the National Guard? General NOLAN. The money appropriated for this year will support an average of about 177,000. TOTAL STRENGTH OF NATIONAL GUARD SEPTEMBER 1, 1924 Mr. ANTHONY. What is the total strength of the National Guard now? General NOLAN. In September last the strength of the National Guard was 189,605 officers and men. STOPPAGE OF RECRUITING Mr. ANTHONY. You propose to make any necessary reduction by reducing the strength of some of the units that are on duty at this time? General NOLAN. Yes; those whose strength will fall off. Of course, we had to stop recruiting in September, so that they would not go beyond the amount of money appropriated for that purpose. |