The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-21
The PRESIDENT
Is EMPOWERED
To Call Ont Volunteer Forces and Pro
vide for Their Organization.
SPEEDY ACTION URGED
Bill Was Driven Through House Under
Whip and Spur.
is PERMANENT IN ITS CHARACTER
An Amendment Providing That Companies
Should Select Th,ir Own Officers
WIS Defeated Chaplain for u
Each Regiment.
is PERMANENT IN ITS CHARACTER

Washington, April 2O-The house today
passed as an emergency war measure the
bill empowering the president to call out
the volunteer forces and providing for their
organization. Both the president and Sec
rotary Alger had urged the imperative ne
cessity for the passage of the bill today and
Chairman Hull, of the military committee,
drove It through under whip and spur. The
bill was introduced yesterday and reported
by the committee today. Not such expedi-
ton could have been possible except under
the stress of war pressure. The bill is per-
manent In Its character. There was tre-
mendous demonstration in the house after
the reading of the journal, when Major
Uruden, the presidents executive clerk, an
nounced the presidents approval of the Gu
ban resolution.
The house then went into committee of
the whole to consider the bill authorizing
the president to call for volunteers.
Mr.. Hull explained that the committee
had unanimously agreed that past prece-
dents should be followed and that governors
of states should retain their power to ap-
point all regimental officers. Joint resolu-
lions passed by congress authorizing the
president to employ the militia force of tho
United States, he said, would not meet tho
present situation. He felt authorized to say
that If we were to fight this war 1t would be
with the volunteer and not the militia
forces.
A1gers Urged Speedy Action
Mr.. Hull read the following telegram
he received from Secretary Alger today
II hope you will introduce your bill this
morning. Time is now very valuable On
the whole am inclined to think that re-
curing commissions to be signed by the
president for TIE militia would tie cause
for action and opposition for the governors
who naturally might feel that this was
taking some of their power from them
Can you consistently concur In tnat anu
hasten its passage"
Mr.. Handy (dem. DELI, opposed the bill
because 1t was proposed to pass 1t as an
emergency measure and yet 1t was to be a
permanent enactment.
A question arose as to whether under the
provisions of the bill additional legislation
would not be necessary to permit the prssi-
dent to call out volunteers.
A. Anne idment offered
TIC. meet this defect Mr. Lacey offered an
amendment authorizing the president to
raise volunteers when congress snail nave
authorized HIN to do so, or when he mas
been authorized to call into actual serV.
ice of the United States the militia OF
the several states The Cuban resolutions
contain the latter authorization
The amendment was adopted
Mr. McMillin, of Tennessee, moved to
reduce the term of enlistment OF the vol
unteer forces from three years as Ivo-
vided in the bill to one year. He thought
many of the young men of the country
would not be willing to enlist for three
years.
The amendment was defeated.
Mr.. Talbert (dem) Of South Carolina,
warned the house that war with Spain
was not light thing. Gentlemen who
thought 1t would be over in a few days
would be sadly disappointed in their opin-
ion. at remember at the opening of the
last war;" said he linen at the north and
south believed 1t would not last thirty
days.
The Power to Select Officers
Mr.. Iiney (rep.) of North Carolina, Of
fered an amendment providing that moth
ing in the bill should be construed to pre-
vent companies and regiments from select
ing their own officers. The power to Sc
lect officers to fill vacancies, he said
would be an incentive to enlistment The
tyrannous discipline Of officers, he said
was more dreaded by soldiers than the
bullets and bayonets of the enemy
Mr.. Grosvenor vigorously opposed the
amendment.
Mr.. Pearce (rep.) of Missouri took the
same view. The election of officers, he
said, was destructive of discipline and effi-
cheney.
to the experience of the confederate army
The Iinney amendment was defeated. - t
Chaplain For Each Regiment
IAN amendment was introduced providing
! for a chaplain of each regiment
| 4, An amendment was introduced providing
| that regimental and other medical officers
should keep daily records of all officers OF
men sick or wounded, and that upon the
| disarmament of the organization they
| should be filed in the record and pension
| office of the war department.
Section 10 was amended so as to provide
| that the governors of states instead OF the
president might appoint officers of the reg
ular army in the grades Of field officers in
the volunteer army such appointments to
depend upon the consent of the president
The hill was passed without division, and