Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 105, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 May 1916 — ARMY INCREASE IS NOW AGREED UPON [ARTICLE]

ARMY INCREASE IS NOW AGREED UPON

Conferees of Senate and House Reach Tentative Agreement—l7B,ooo Peace Footing. Washnigton, May 1. —An increase in the standing army under the compromise tentative agreement was decided on by the senate and house conferees today. It is decided to give the regular army a peace strength of about 178,000, whiclf is to be 75 per cent of its strength when recruited to its full war footing. Under the terms of the senate or» ganization provision of the army, which is to be retained in the bill, the complete war strength of i.he regular army for. which authority is given will be, therefore, about 218,000. The authorized strength of the army now is a little over 100,000. The house bill would have increased this to about 143,000. The senate bill carried an authorization for a regular army of 250,000.