A BILL MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE MILITARY AND SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS. JAMES W. WADSWORTH, JR., New York, Chairman. WESLEY L. JONES, Washington. HOWARD SUTHERLAND, West Virginia. IRVINE L. LENROOT, Wisconsin. GILBERT M. HITCHCOCK, Nebraska. WILLIAM J. HARRIS, Georgia. EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR RIVERS AND BERT M. FERNALD, Maine. CHARLES L. MCNARY, Oregon. II HARBORS. DUNCAN U. FLETCHER, Florida. KENNEDY F. REA, Clerk. WAR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL, 1924. MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1923. UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m. Present: Senators Wadsworth (chairman), Jones of Washington, Spencer, Fletcher, and Harris. The subcommittee thereupon proceeded to the consideration of the bill (H. R. 13793) making appropriations for the military and nonmilitary activities of the War Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1924, and for other purposes. The CHAIRMAN (Senator Wadsworth). We have the annual War Department appropriation bill before us. I have taken the liberty in advance of consulting with General Walker, the Chief of Finance of the Army, and requesting him to marshal the witnesses. He is here, and some other officers are here, and we are sure the committee will be glad to go ahead in the way suggested by General Walker. General WALKER. General McGlachlin will be the first on the program. Senator WADSWORTH. Very well; we will hear General McGlachlin. STATEMENT OF MAJ. GEN. EDWARD F. McGLACHLIN, JR., COMMANDANT OF THE ARMY WAR COLLEGE. ARMY WAR COLLEGE. General MCGLACHLIN. I have asked to appear before the committee because of a reduction below the Budget estimate in the appropriation bill passed in the House. The appropriation for 1923 for the support of the Army War College was $70,380. Senator SPENCER. What page is that? General WALKER. Page 7. General MCGLACHLIN. We voluntarily cut that in the estimate to $65,300 a cut of a little over $5,000. The amount carried in the appropriation bill as reported to the House, and I think as it was passed, was $58,220, a reduction of $7,080 below the estimate, or a little over $12,000 below the present year's appropriation. This reduction is accounted for by the elimination by the Committee on Appropriations of 1 clerk at $1,600, 1 clurk at $1,400, 1 clerk at $1,200, 2 watchmen at $720 each, 1 fireman at $720, and 1 messenger at $720. The Budget estimate provided for 53 civilian employees, while the number caried in the House bill is 46, a loss of 7. The report to accompany the bill made no mention as to the reason for the elimination by the committee of these positions, and I am at a loss to understand what actuated it in making the reduction. At the time of the hearing of the subcommittee there existed vacancies of 1 clerk at $1,200, 2 clerks at $1,000, 1 messenger and 1 fireman at $720 each; but these were accidental vacancies, purely temporary. They imposed additional and excessive burdens upon the remaining personnel, and compelled postponement of important work. Such vacancies, statutory leaves of absences, and absences on account of sickness, must all be considered in making estimates. These vacancies have of necessity since been filled, though the fact of their existence may have influenced the committee. Senator SPENCER. How long had these vacancies existed? General MCGLACHLIN. Just for a few days, or maybe for a few weeks, in the attempt to fill them from the classified list. Senator WADSWORTH. And they have been filled? General MCGLACHLIN. They have been filled since. Senator HARRIS. You can get along with the $65,500, General, can you? General McGLACHLIN. $65,300; yes, sir. Senator HARRIS. And it will interfere with your work if you do not get that amount? General MCGLACHLIN. It would; and I am prepared to explain what these people do, if you wish. Senator HARRIS (to the Chairman). Do you not think it would be a very good idea, so that when we get back to the House, we will have that information? Senator WADSWORTH. Yes. General MCGLACHLIN. For the fiscal year 1922 there were allowed 25 clerks. For 1923 there were asked 33 clerks, an increase of 8, to take care of the historical section of the General Staff, which had been transferred to the Army War College with a clerk. There was a corresponding reduction in the number of clerks allowed the General Staff, so this was nothing but a paper transaction. The appropriation bill reduced these clerks, however, by 4 to 29. For 1924 a voluntary reduction of 2 clerks to a total of 27 was estimated for, which in this bill is reduced still further to 24. Thus, the estimate for 1924 is for 27 clerks against 25 authorized for 1921, although the historical work, wholly additional to that performed in 1921, has been added to the college. That historical work keeps eight clerks busily engaged on subjects of great importance to our future military efficiency. In the meantime, the work proper to the college has not decreased. The students do their own clerical work-I think there may be some idea that the students have clerks, but they do not-so that the size of the class does not affect the clerical strength. The number in the class may be truly said to affect nothing but the mechanical reproduction of stenciled matter. As a matter of fact, the reduction of the class has been immaterial, and has been more than balanced by increased demand for product from outside the college, and by library requirements. It is only by economical use of the clerks available that work indispensable to the efficient conduct of the college can now be done. We have very efficient clerks, who are perfectly willing to give us and do give us services outside of the hours that are prescribed. They are a fine lot. Senator HARRIS. And they do not get any extra pay for it? General MCGLACHLIN. They do not get any extra pay for it, but of course we balance that up by privileges. Still, it is an interruption to their own time. Senator HARRIS. Yes. General MCGLACHLIN. That is all I have to say about clerks. On account of the isolated location of the War College building and the highly confidential nature of the records and other documents on file therein, including a library of more than 200,000 volumes and a map section containing a collection 450,000 different maps, in addition to 2,000,000 maps on hand for distribution, it is essential that not only an adequate watch force be provided for the building, but that it be composed of men of integrity and responsibility. You can not take Tom, Dick, or Harry from the ranks and put him in there with an expectation of the work being properly performed. Many of the volumes in the library and many of the maps in the map section are of inestimable value, and would be irreplaceable in the event of loss by fire or theft. Of the six watchmen authorized for the current fiscal year, and which has been cut to four for the ensuing year, two are on duty from 8 a. m. to 4 p. m., one at the main entrance of the college building and one at the basement door. This precaution is necessary to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the building and to provide for the reception of authorized visitors and supplies. Two other men of this force are employed on watch duty from 4 p. m. to 8 a. m., working in eight-hour shifts. The two remaining men are used as supernumeraries in case of need; otherwise, they are employed on necessary subclerical work around the building. It is essential that the watch force be composed of men of trustworthiness and responsibility, and for that reason only selected men are employed on this duty. The present watchman system in force has been in operation since 1913, and experience has shown that it is not in excess of the requirements for police and fire protection of a valuable Government property. The building alone, I think, is worth about a million dollars, and I could not possibly estimate the value-it could not be estimated by anybody in money-of its contents. The present boiler-room force, which is cut from four to three, can not effectively operate under the prevailing conditions as so reduced. Three firemen are necessary to provide for the ordinary eight-hour shift in the boiler-room. This boiler must be under continuous operation. The fourth man is in charge of the heating apparatus of the college building proper, which is separate from the boiler house, and is used to replace other firemen in case of absence on account of sickness, statutory leave, and other causes. He is constantly employed in this manner and in the repair and maintenance of the entire heating plant. Of the four messengers estimated for, and which number was reduced to three, one is employed in the historical section of the Army War College at Sixth and B Streets. Of the three remaining, one and ordinarily two are engaged in messenger duty at the War |