The Mena star., 1898-08-03
THE VOLUNTEER TROOPS.
Under the Present Law They Must Be Mustered Out if Peace Is
 Declared.
EXTRA SESSION OF CONGRESS LIKELY.
New Legislation win Re Required So That the President Can Have Troops to Gar rison Cities of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines-The Volunteers Not Sent to the Front to Re Used.

Sent to the Front to Re Used.
 Washington, Aug. 2.-If peace should be concluded between the United States and Spain the president will be obliged to call an extra session of con- gress at once. Under the present law the volunteer army is only to serve while the war lasts. It is realized that, even with peace concluded, there will be need of about t00,00 men for garrison duty in the new colonies, and there will have to be new legislation to put these troops at the command of the president The terms of the act under which the president was em- powered to call for volunteers are very explicit Under it the president has no discretion and nothing is left to be done except to muster out the volunteer troops and send them home. It would be impossible to pay them or to feed them, because there would be no authority for the spend ing of penny of the governments money for this purpose.
 The war department is now giving some attention to the problems which the department will be called upon to meet after peace has been declared. If the island of Luzon is retained by the United States an army of at least 20, 900 will be necessary there to main tain the United States authority. Probably similar number of troops will be kept in Porto Rico at least un- til congress meets and provides form of government for that island. The estimate put on the number of men that will be necessary to police Cuba during the reconstruction period runs from 50, 900 to 75, 000 If the insur- gents should give any serious trouble more would be needed. It will be seen, therefore, that the duty of the great army which the president has called into the field will not end with the conclusion of peace betweens the United States and Spain. It is the ex- pectation of the war department off cials that garrison of United States troops will have to be stationed in every town in Cuba and Porto Rico while permanent and stable govern ments for those islands are being es- tablished.
 While the service which is ahead of the volunteer troops is not that for which they yearned, there is strong likelihood that it will be service which will present many opportuni- ties. There is quiet confidence pre- vailing in all branches of the war de- pertinent that the regular army of the United States will never again go below 10000 If such an increase should be made in the standing mili- tary force of the government, very few doubt that such an increase will be provided for during the next ses- sion of congress, and there will be a chance for many officers of the volun- teer army to secure a transfer to the regular army. These transfers will all be made up on the basis of merit, and those officers who have shown con- spicuous ability at the front, or who will demonstrate special executive ability in the government of the prov inces over which they will exercise sway in Cuba and Porto Rico, during the interim which must occur before a stable form of government can be adopted for those islands, will stand an excellent chance of appointment to the regular service.
 The belief at the war department is that, as far as the enlisted men are concerned, they will welcome the ex- perience which is before them in Cuba. They will not have to go there until the hot spell is past, and the winter months in Cuba are both healthful and delightful. The conditions which will exist in Cuba during the reconstruc- tion period will afford rare oppor- tunity for the exercise of tact and ex. ecutive ability, and those who demon strate that they have the possession of these two characteristics in a marked degree are certain of recognition for their services
 The president is anxious to demon strate to the world by results achieved in Cuba the high capability of the Americans for government. Every thing that can be done to help the Cubans to establish government of their own will be done in good faith, but it is taken for granted that the Americans will be compelled to re- main in control of the island for some time. It will be the aim of the admin istration to make the American rule in Cuba so popular that, in the event of the Cubans failing to rise to the height of self-government, they will of their own accord ask for and welcome the continuance of American control
 It is the purpose of the war depart