The times., 1898-05-24
The Army Bill.
10 the bill annrnvaf

1nlS lea TO the Dill, approved April y,
providing for temporarily increasing the
military establishment of the United
States and providing that in time
of war the army shall consist of
two branches-the regular and the
volunteer army. The act provides
how the volunteer army shall be called
into existence. upon proclamation by the
President, and that all enlstments shall
be for term of two years In detail it
provides for the number OF officers the
formation of troops into brigades, divi-
sions and army corps, all of which has
since been accomplished, and, what is of
Importance to the volunteers provides
that all officers and enlisted men of the
volunteer army and of the State militia,
when in the service of the United States
shall be in all respects on the same foot
ing as to pay, allowances and pensions
as that of officers and enlisted men of
corresponding grades in the regular ar
my.
The Organization.
But one day later the President ap-
proved bill for the better organization
of the line of the Army. This establishes
what is known as the three battalion
system for regiments. and directs that in
time of war or when war has been de-
clared the President may, in his discre-
ton, increase each company TO its full
strength of Jog men in the infantry;
100 in the cavalry; 200 in each battery of
heavy artillery; 173 in each battery of field
artillery; $50 in each company of en-
gineers Among other provisos added to
this bill is one that any soldier who de-
serts shall, besides mourning the penalties
now attaching to the crime of desertion,
forfeit all right to pension which he
might otherwise have acquired. Congress,
in its generosity, also provided that in
time of war the pay proper of enlisted
men should be increased 20 per cent over
and above the rates of pay fixed by law.
This was done as an incentive for enlist
ment
Additional Appropriations.
While these special acts were being
passed, the Senate agreed to the regular
annual appropriation bill and made some
additions thereto as result of the war
zation for the temporary enlistment of
men to man the naval ships during the
present emergency. at cost of SS, ,S30, GOO
and 1851, 800 for an additional force for the
marine corps. In addition the Senate
added to the naval establishment four
monitors. several torpedo boat destroyers
and a number of torpedo boats, all of
which the House agreed to-
On the 18th of April the President ap-
proved the shortest but most important
of all the acts relating to the Spanish
troubles. 1t was the declaration of war
and contained but ten lines of about
twelve words each. That brief act au-
thorized him to use the entire land and
naval force of the United States and to
call into actual service the militia of the
several States. Under the law the Ma
tional Guard has been mustered in and is
now concentrating at the various rendez-
vous designated by the Federal authori-
ties-at Washington, at Chickamauga,
and at Tampa. Under authority of that
short enactment, the army of invasion for
duty in Cuba is being hurriedly thrown
into shape and the troops for the holding
of the Philippines are being hurried to
Manila.
The active preparations for war were,
creating deficiencies. and on
May the President approved an act
making appropriations to supply these de-
In the departments under the