The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-20

|
tative statement was made at the war
department today that on the first call
for troops only the national guard
would be given an opportunity to vol
unteer for service in war. This state
ment is in accordance with those made
/ by Secretary Alger to the national
guardsmen who called on him at the
war department on Saturday. when the
modified Hull bill for the expansion OF
the army was under consideration. Sec
rotary Alger thinks that such course
] is in keeping with sound discretion and
! the dictates of common sense. for the
| organized militia have gone to great
| expense, and have devoted much time
| to perfecting themselves for military
| duty. Any other course. he believes,
would be destructive to the best inter
| ests of the guard. AS far as practic-
| able the state organizations entering
the volunteer service will remain IN
tact, the governors of the various states
| being permitted, as they were in 1861.
| to designate regimental officers. which
will include those of the grades of sec
ond lieutenants to colonies. The presl-
/ dent will reserve to himself the right to
| appoint the staff and field officers.
MANY APPLICATIONS
| Many applications have been made
| to the war department for permission
| to volunteer, and among men OF all
creeds, natiOnalitieS and politics there
is an expressed intention and desire to
| uphold the honor and the integrity OF
the flag of the republic. 1t was stated
today that the first call for troops
would be for $4,000 men, which, it is be-
| lieved, will exhaust the entire available
strength of the national guard at this
time after deducting those who are
sick or otherwise incapacitated for i'm
mediate service.
The total strength of the guard. as
reported to the department, is 113,3OO
men.
ARMY PLANS.
Plans now being formulated in
congress involve the placing of
about 100000 soldiers in round
numbers at the disposal of the govern
ment within a short time after the
Cuban resolutions are approved by the
president. This calculation is based on
the following figures covered in the
plans already in effect or in ccntempla-
ton, viz:
Standing army. $1,000.
By call for volunteers, $4,000
BY calling out state militia, $1,000 or
1000
BY army reorganization bill, 5000.
SETTLED ON.
Leaving aside the present regular
army force, the second and fourth
items are practically settled on in COM
mittee, while the third, as to the mill
tia, is being actively canvassed, and
while there are different views they are
expected to crystalline into an author
iZation to call out the number stated.
The bill drawn up by the war depart
ment for Introduction by Representa-
tive Hull, chairman of the. military
committee, authorizes the president to
call for something like $4,000 volun-
teers. TO be drawn through the various
states.
While this method obviates the legal
technicalities. involved in the service
of state militia organizations, it is
likely the volunteers thus obtained
through quotas furnished by the re-
s.pective state and territorial governors
will come from within state militia
ranks.
MILITIA PLAN.
The plan of the committee on militia
to effectually put large number of
the militia at the disposal of the presi-
dent is being formulated.
Some think 100000 excessive, but
Chairman Marsh and others regard the
figures as conservative. in the view
that the resolution evidently meant
war.
The president as now suggested by
Representative Marsh. can call out the
militia at any time, and congress will
follow up this action by legislative en-
actment providing for their ushering
into the United States service. At the
same time the army reorganization bill
recently recommitted by the house, is
being carefully pruned in the military
committee. 1t is proposed to extend
the army organization to the three bat
talon war formation and to increase
the batteries of artillery to 200 men
each. This measure. it is claimed. may
bring about 5000 more men into the
regular service, to be added to the
present $1,000 regular troops.
CABINET MEETING.
during the afternoon, practically set
tied the question as to how many vol
unteers shall be called for to supple
ment the regular army in their opera
lions in Cuba, the conclusion being ar
rived at that the president shall call
for $4,000 men of the national militia.
Secretary Alger, after this decision
was reached, repaired to the war de-
partment and sent for Major General
Miles, and Adjutant General Corbin. A
conference lasting nearly an hour was
held as to the means to be employed
to give effect to the decision of the
president and the cabinet Consider
| able progress was made in outlining the
plan to be followed, but owing TO the
complexity of the subject all the details
could not be arranged at the first con-
ference 1t is proposed to utilize this
additional force in conformity to the
terms Of the bill submitted today te