New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-27
STATUS OF THE VOLUNTEERS.

DEFINED BY MAJOR MORRISON. ASSISTANT TO
THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL
Washington. April % (Special).-Major ]. y. Nor.
rison assistant 10 the Iudge-Advocate- General d
the Army. who is recognized as an authority on
the subject made the following timely and In
sruCive statement to-day in regard TO the organi-
cation Of the volunteer army under the recent ACT
OF Congress.
The act provides that in time OF war the volun-
teer army and the Regular Army are two branches
Of the United States Army. on equal footing with
each other in all respects. and that during such
time they both together make the United states
ARMY The enlisted men obtained in the sarns
way in both branches T. ?. by voluntary contracts
OF enlistment made By each man himself, oirecty
TO the UnieA States The officers also are obtained
I'm the same way In both branches. l. e. oy ap-
pointment and acceptance Of the appointment by
the appointee. The appointments. however are
not all made by the person or official The
President appoints al. the officers IN the regular
branch and a portion Of those OF the volunteer
branch but IL l. provided that Governors OF states
shall appoint some Of those in the volunteer branch
II Is a case where j 10 provided that Governors OK
States shall appoint United States officers
There IS no provision In the law for any sta'e'
~ tho Governor or other officers OF any state 10
enlist any OF the men OF either branch OF tho
United States Army or for them 10 have anything
10 DO with raising either branch OF II, except ina.
the Governors TO appoint certain oesis"a'oe
2teeTs Gf ne hrogh the war Department
raises the regular branch, and there i no "a" 80
viding that ii shall not raise me 'oIunleei u.a..u
or that any State shall rase IT, ne ne vol
OF States have no more autnorty 10 raSs ,hey
have TO raise the regular o b as - single dollar
at al likely tn4. emT OF hat can ia%fny be used
for the purpose OF raising either DraCn oi H. NM
- a,sn ,roops for either the regular or the vodn,
teer branch OF the United States Army, some Oh
mem togeher 70 appropriate money and make
other proper provision therefor ana some S $50.
raise questions as TO whether the states or sta.e
nor,ing the officers referred to- were intended 10
have b4Secb an y thn tinted states Army.
The hrst provso 10 Section OF ne o'Sn .sces
have state militia orga nizatons and It also as as
smes that some OF the n1snotrS oa army OF
The Tinted States. and il is assumed that me me
10 the United States recruiting Officer IN nody,
as members of company; ana az 'll's. ~ -
y Sa when they do this their militia officers may
b. amounted as Officers for the oreanza lloD 'ns.
men constituting a militia organization wthdra"
from l. all NJ once and M r9'iE an" I,,a c,a,s.
thev have A right expect that the men VINO
were ,heir officers in the militia orsanizaton they
vounfccr Officers for the organization they viii
constitute in that establishment .s ,,.,.
Ru that Is all there Is 10 mat proNlso ana 'l-le
f., nothing in the that can BE- construed 20 pro
Vide that any state orsanzs,tIon shs Dc ,nsd
states service-'mustered in" as the state voluh.
- orcanizafons OF 1861 10 1865 wcre-and n the
,o,li,io officers are not appointed a. volunteer ON
GERS or il they are appointed and do not sSeep,
the appoint ments they will remain militia otlcers
pu, + they are appointed and do accept the ar
pon,ments. they will probably have 10 resign bsr
~ Simply hold TWO Offices IN the STATE MI
lila and one In the United states Nountesr army
7-ha act assumes that members or the stare MI
u,ia examinations will enlist In the volunteer
army. hut does provide for them 10 40 So So
g., is n does not require them TO DO so ana any
one else is rs clearly eligible 10 enlist as they ar
IT, fac, n might be that unless sometnihs - uo,le
~ .ha,r rcsnectiye Governors 10 prevent H. theSe
nuitamen Will find that heir oeigationS, nn nr.
~ STATE law as members OF the state militia or.
..,,,s,ions will be obstacles in the way OF 'he"
sa,"rJng The United States volunteer service