Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1917 — Army of 700,000 May Be Possible at Wilson’s Order. [ARTICLE]

Army of 700,000 May Be Possible at Wilson’s Order.

3 Washington, March 29.— Plans io forward further preparedness measures for the army today began to assume • definite form. r . How an increased armed force may be promptly secured for the present emergency as well as universal training as a national policy, were dis■cnsged bp BxSaident Wilton with. Senator Chamberlain, of Oregon, chairman of the senate military committee, At the same time Secretary Bakot and administration leaders in .•congress considered legislation needI ed immediately for the military establishment. '■ - Senator Chamberlain told the president that he believed the executive now has authority, without further action by congress, to raise aVimcsr an army of more than 700,000 men, by i increasing the regular army to war ’ strength and calling out all of the ! national guard at war strength, with co-operation from state executives. There was no intimation that the p resident was considering such a step immediately but the whole field of measures necessary to secure a larger force was discussed. For present needs, the war department, Secretary Baker said, has decided to submit to congress a budget containing virtually the same provisions as the regular army approoriation bill which failed at the last session. ■ .. , . As to the measures necessary for increasing the army in emergency, that under' existing law the president is authorized to increase the standing army to its war strength of 270,000 or with auxiliaries aggregating a regular force of about 300,000. The war. strength of the national . guard was estimated at about 440,000, with all forces fully enlisted. Thus combined, a trained army of nearlv three Quarters of a million men could be provided without action by congress.

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