New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-28
TO MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS.
THEY WILL BE SENT SOUTH As SOON AS
MUSTERED INTO SERVICE.
TIE WAR DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS 1T DEsIEA
BILE TO REMOVE THEM FROM THEIR STATES
AS RAPIDLY As observation-disclosures
OF THE CALL ANSWERED.

W asnlngton April -i.-Ine war Driai ''i'''
is planning to mobilize the volunteer army at
points Of concentration in the South as rapidly
as the men can he mustered into actual service
The object Of this is twofold, the chief consd-
Grafton being the recognized desirabillty Of get
ting the commands as quickly as possible out Of
their own States where they are subject 10 de-
moralizing influences. both political and domes-
tic. This has already been forciby demonstrated
in the dissatisfaction exhibited in nearly every
state that its quota is not sufficiently large 10
permit the militia Of its National Guard organi-
cations without modification to enter the United
States service
a notable instance Of this dissatisfaction was
shown in the visit 70 Washington to-day OF Gov
crnor Hastings. Of Pennsylvania. who insisted 10
the President and the Secretary Of War that inc
entire Pennsylvania State militia, which ne as
serted efficient as the Regular Army IL
81 II. should he acceoted and sent to the front N
once When II was explained to him that such
action could not lie taken without manifest IN
justice to the National Guards of other States.
and that Il would he clearly Illegal under the
statute requiring the apportionment 81 voun-
teers among the several States according to their
populatlon Of militia age. he declared that tho
call should have been made large enough 10 in
clude the entire Pennsylvania force In that
States quota.
NEW CONDITIONS TO CONFRONT.
# had then to be explained n him that such
a call as he proposed would have led to fully
NJ much and as warranted dissatisfaction in
other States where the militia organizations
were in different proportions. this being notable
in the case Of New York where the militia was
most cNcctually organized-so much 80, IN fac''
that 1t was relied upon 10 a great extent 10
guard that State in case 81 an attack from WIN
out II was also shown that the authorizes Al
Washington had given much more thought IN
the necessities Of the United States in the pres
ent emergency than the Governors could pos
sihly have given them. When Intervention was
forced upon this Government it became neces-
sary for the military authorities to study THOR
oughiy the conditions to he met and n organ
ize an army to cope with them successfully.
The character Of the country to be invaded and
the forces 10 be met there were the chief fac
tors in fixing the number Of infantrymen. OF
cavalrymen and Of light and heavy artlerymen
that were essential for the conduct Of the cam
paign In tropical country. almost ioadless,
presenting conditions in general totally unlike
any that had heretofore been occupied by United
States troops.
COMPLAINTS EASILY MET.
Similar complaints 10 thosa 81 Governor Hast
ings have been common and have beer az easily
and completely met. Nine-tenths Of them nave
been Of purely political nature. Politicians
have fairly ovorrun the War Department IN
their efforts 10 secure prominence In the volun-
teer service for those who have patTonized them
In the past. and throughout the President has
been confronted with embarrassnents dinerent
only in degree. II at all from th"sc when hau L"
be met by President Lincoln IN 1851
In addition 10 this reason for getting 'h@
troops az rapidly as possible away from their
States and .heir State authorities u Is con-
sidered essential 10 put them under ar'ua pfac-
tical military discipline not quahned 10y nome
training This is relied upon ~ develop them
speedily into en- effective army corps. For
thirty years not officer In the United states
has commanded division IN the h''d' ana IL
is only by assembling a great NUN Der Of regi-
ments 81 the various armies together. IN one
part OF the country that he officers and men
can be effectively drilled ana prepared Tor the
serious campaign General Mil"s says raw re-
cruits may be relied upon 10 give toerahy good
accounts Of themselves behind breastworks or
on the defensive generally. but Pr an aggressive
campaign. sum ms the next one undertaken by
the United Sta,es viii In all probability be. i"o
or three months 81 preparation is iinperatively
essential FOR both officers and mon II every
grade from hr'radier- general down 10 private.
THE POINTS OF CONCENTRATIONS
The great points ~ volunteer concentration
are now being selected and Il Is likely that in
addition to Chiokamauga Park. an army corps
VIII rendezvous near Atlanta. another in the
mountainous country Of Eastern Tennessee. and
a third In Alabama. At these points nara
marching and grand field evolutions VIII I" un-
der,aken. as row proposed As soon a inc
regiments composing the armies have become
in a measure familiar with the realities Of SOL
der life
The Commissary General u Subsistence is
RAPIDLY enectng HIS arrangements for feeding
the volunteer and expanded Regular Army.
" hich are xpectcd 10 aggregate about / 900
men by the md Of the month. A. "ev's"d csti
n ates indicate that It Will cost nearly - cents
rer man for the ordinary army rations amount
ing 10 over Sls.Vu.UOO year alone II is pro-
osed to ask Congress 10 authorize such an oN-
nditure.