The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-20
NEW ARMY BILL READY
DEPARTMENT MEASURE SUB
MITTED TO CONGRESS
1t Provides for a Volunteer Force
Under Control off the Federal Au-
thOrities, and Only to BE Called
Into Existence in Time OF War
or When HOstiIities Are Impend-
ing-Speedy Action Expected.

INTO existence IN I1me Oh war
or When HostiIities Are Impend-
ing-Speedy Action Expected.
WASHINGTON, April 19.-The war
department bill to provide for temper
arily increasing the military establish
ment in time of war was sent today to
Chairman Hull, Of the house military
committee, and Senator Hawley, the
chairman Of similar committee in the
senate. The measure was prepared
under the immediate supervision of
Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn, after a
thorough and careful study of the best
interests Of the service.
In transmitting the bill to congress,
a request Is made for favorable consid-
GRAFTON, and in view Of the eXigencies
of the situation speedy action is ex-
pected.
In time Of war the army is to con-
sist of two branches, the regular and
the volunteer army, the latter to be
maintained only during the existence
Of war or while war Is imminent and
is to be raised and organized only aft
er congress authorizes'it
All enlistments for the volunteer
army are to be for three years, unless
sooner terminated. ALI the regimental
and company officers Of the volunteer
army are to be appointed by the presl-
dent upon the recommendations of the
governors Of the states in which their
respective organizations are raised
Concerning the national guard it Is
provided that when the members Of
any company or regiment of the organ
lied militia shall enlist in the volunteer
army as a body, the regimental and
company officers in service with the
military organization thus enlisting
may be appointed by the president,
subject to an examination as to fitness
and capacity to be officers Of CORE
spending grades in the same organiza-
ton when it is received in the service
as part Of the volunteer army.
The troops in time Of war, whether
belonging to the regular or volunteer
army or to the militia, are to be organ
lied into divisions of three brigades,
each brigade to be composed Of three
or more regiments, and when three or
more divisions are assembled in the
same army, the president is to organize
them into an army corps, each corps to
consist of not more than three divis-
ions. The president is to appoint in
the volunteer army not to exceed one
major general for each organized army
corps and division and one briga-
der general for each brigade to be
selected from the regular or volunteer
army or militia.
Text of the Bill.
The following are the provisions Of
the bill in full:
A bill to provide for temporarily increasing
the military establishment of the United
States in time Of war and for other pur-
poses. Be 1t enacted. etc.
That all able-bodied male citizens of the
United States and persons Of foreign birth
who shall have declared their intention
to become citizens of the United States
under and in pursuance of the laws there
are hereby declared to constitute the ma
tional forces, and, with such exceptions
and under such conditions as may be pre-
scribed by law shall be liable to perform
military duty in the service of the United
States
Section 2. That the organized and active
land forces Of the United States shall con-
sist of the army Of the United States. and
Of the militia of the several states when
called into the service Of the United
States Provided, that in time Of war. the
shall be designated, respectively, as the
regular army and the volunteer army of
the United States.
Sec. g.. That the regular army is the
permanent military establishment, which
is maintained both in peace and war, &C
cording to law.
Sec. 4. That the volunteer army shall
be maintained only during the existence
of war, or while war is imminent, and shall
be raised and organized. as in this act
provided. only after congress shall have
force; provided, that all enlistments for
the volunteer army shall be for a term
Of three years, unless sooner terminated,
and that all officers and men composing
such army shall be discharged from the
service Of the United States when the
purpose for which they were called into
service shall have been accomplished, or
on the conclusion of hostilities.
Sec. g.. That when 1t becomes necessary
to raise a volunteer army, the president
shall issue his proclamation stating the
as may be fixed by law, and the secretary
of war shall prescribe such rules and regu-
lations. not inconsistent with the terms OF
this act, as may IN ms Judgment be ne
ganizing and receiving into service the men
called for; provided, that all men received
into service in the volunteer army shall,
as far as practicable, be taken, from the
several states and territories and the Dis
trict of Columbia in proportion to their
population.
Volunteer Army.
Sec G. That the volunteer army and the
militia of the United States. when called
into the service of the United States, shall
be organized under and shall be subject to
the laws, orders and regulations governing
the regular army. provided, that each reg-
ment of the volunteer army shall have one
surgeon and one assistant surgeon, and that
all the regiment and company officers shall
be appointed by the president, upon the rec
ommendation Of the governors of the states
In which their respective organizations are
raised, subject to such an examination as to
fitness and capacity as the president may
prescribe; provided further. that when the
members of any company or regiment of the
organized militia Of any state shall enlist
In the volunteer army in body, as such
company or regiment. the regimental and
company officers in service with the militia
eniiSttnP n
pointed by the president subject to such an
examination as to the fitness and capacity
of said officers as he may prescribe to be
officers Of corresponding grades in the same
organization when 1t shall have been re-
ceived into the service Of the United States
as a part of the volunteer army.
Sec 7. That all organizations of the vol
unteer army shall be so recruited from
time to time as to maintain them as near to
their maximum strength as the president
may deem necessary, and no new organiza-
ton shall be accepted into service from any
state unless the organizations already in
service from such state are as near to their
maximum strength Of officers and enlisted
men as the president may deem necessary.
Sec 8. That all returns and muster rolls
Of organizations of the volunteer army and
of military organizations while in the
service of the United States shall be rend-
dered to the adjutant general Of the army,
and upon the disarmament of such organza-
lions the records pertaining to them shall be
transferred to and fled in the record and
pension once OF the war department.
Sec. 9. That in time Of war, or when
war is imminent the troops in the service
OF the United States whether belonging to
the regular or volunteer army, OF to the
militia, shall be organized, as far as prac-
ticable into divisions of three brigades each
brigade to be composed of three or more
regiments, and whenever one or more div.s-
ions are assembled in the same army, the
president Is authorized to organize them
into army corps, each corps to consist Of
rot more than three divisions
General Staff.
Sec 10. That the staff Of the COM
mander Of an army corps shall consist of