The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-20
PROVISIONS OF
THE ARMY BILL
Able BODIED Men Between 18
and IS
ARE LIABLE FOR SERVICE
During the Time of War the Forces viii Con-
sist of Two Branches, Regular Troops
and the Volunteers.
ARE LIABLE FOR SERVICE

Washington, April 19-The following are
the provisions of the war department army
bill in full:
A bill to provide for temporarily increas-
ing the miniltary establishment of the
United States in time or war and for other
purposes:
Be it enacted, That all able-bodied citi-
sens 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
thereof between the ages of Is and As years,
are hereby declared to constitute the ma
tural forces, and with such exceptions and
under such conditions as may be prescribed
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
the militia of the several states when call
ed into service of the United States; pro-
vided that in time of war the army shall
consist of two branches, which shall be
designated respectively as the regular army
and the volunteer army of the United
States.
Section 3-That the regular army IS the
permanent military establ shme1t which
is maintained both in peace and war ac-
cording to law.
Only in Time of War
Section 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, pro-
vided only after congress shall have au-
thorized the president to raise such force;
provided that ali enlstments for the volun-
tees army shall be for term of three
years, unless sooner terminated, and that
all officers and men composing SAID army
shall be discharged from the service OF the
United States when the purposes for which
they were called into service shall nave
been accomplished, or on the conclusion or
hostilities
Sec. 5-That when it becomes necessary
to raise a volunteer army, the president
will issue his proclamation. stating the
mum Der of men desired, within such lin
it's as may be fixed by law, and the secre-
tary of war shall prescribe such rules ana
regulations not inconsistent with the terms
of this act as may in his Judgment be nee
essary for the purpose of examining or
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.
Governed by Army Law
Sec 6-That the volunteer army and the
militia of the states when called into the
service of the United States shall be or
ganized under and shall be subject to the
laws, orders and regulations governing the
regular army; provided that each regiment
of the volunteer army shall have one sur
geon and one assistant surgeon, and that
all the regimental and company ohcers
shall be appointed by the president, upon
the recommendation of the governors OF
the state in which their respective organ
izations are raised, subject to SUCH an eX-
animation as to fitness and capacity, as
the president may prescribe; provided, fur
Their, that when the members of any COM
many or regiment or the organized military
of any state shall enlist in the voluntary
army in body as such company or reSl-
ment the regimental and company ofncers
in service with the militia organization mus
enlisting may be appointed by the presi-
dent, subject to such an examination as TO
fitness and capacity of said officers as ne
NAV prescribe, to be officers of correspond
ing grades In the same organlZatlon' "Heh
If shall have been received into the service
of the United States as part OF TN VOL
untary army.
rnteer army shall be so recruited from time
TO time as to maintain them as near 10
their maximum strength as the presiuen'
may deem necessary and no new organlza-
ton shall be accepted into service from any
other state unless the organizations already
In service from such state are as near TO
their maximum strength of officers ana en-
listed men as the president may deem nee
essary.
Returns and Muster Rolls
Sec S.-That all returns and muster rolls
of all organizations of the volunteer army
and military organizations while in the SER
vice of the United States shall be rendered
init NJ Oan of the army ana
upon the DISARMAMENT of such orgahlZallons
the records pertaining to them shall be
transferred to and filed in the record ana
pension offices of the war department.
Sec 9.-That in time of war or Wnen war
is imminent the troops in the service of the
United States, whether belonging to the
regular or volunteer or the militia shall be
organized as far as practicable into divisions
of three brigades, each being made to COM
pose of three or more regiments, and when-
ever three or more divisions are assembled
in the same army, the president is author
lied to organize them into army corps, each
corps to consist of not more than three d.
visions.
Sec. 1o-That the staff of the commander
of an army corps shall consist of an assis-
tant adjutant general an inspector gen.
eral, one chief quartermaster, one CHIEF
commissary of subsistence and one chlef
surgeon, who shall have respectively the
rank of colonel, one assistant adjutant gen.
eral, who shall have the rank of captain,
and the aid de camp, authorized by law.
The staff of the commander of the division
shall consist of an adjutant general, one
chief quartermaster, one chief commissary
officer of subsistence and one surgeon, who
shall have respectively the rank Of lieuten-
ant colonel. and the aides de camp, author
lied by law.
The staff of the commander of brigade
shall consist of one assistant adjutant-
general, one assistant quartermaster and
one commissary of subsistence, each with
the rank of captain and the aides de camp
authorized by law. The staff officers here
In authorized for the corps, division etc.,
to be appointed by the president. as Off
| GERS of the volunteer army and may be as
| signed by him in his discretion from off,
| GERS of the regular or the volunteer army,
| or of the militia n the service of the United
! States.
Selection of Officers
Section 11-That the president is hereby
authorized to appoint in the volunteer army
| by and with the advice and consent ~ the
senate not exceeding one major-general for
each army corps and division and one