The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-20
WAR DEPARTMENT MEASURE.
Plan for Temporarily Increasing the
Country's Military Strenl. III.


partment bill to provide for temporarily in
creasing the military establish. - in time
of war was sent to-day to Chairman Hull,
of the House military affairs committee,
and Senator Hawley, the chairman of a
similar committee in the Senate. i'he meas
ure was prepared under the immediate SUI
pervison of Assistant Secretary Msiklejohn,
after thorough and careful study of the best
interests of the service. In transmitting
the bill to Congress request is made for
favorable consideration, and, in view of the
exigencies of the situation, speedy action is
expected. In time Of war the army Is to
consist of two branches-the regular and
volunteer army--the latter to be main
tanned only during the existence OF war, or
while war is imminent and is to be raised
and organized only after Congress author
ICES it. All enlistments for the volunteer
army are to be for three years, unless
sooner terminated. All the regimental and
company officers OF the volunteer army are
to be appointed by the President upon the
recommendations of the Governors OF the
States in which their respective organiza-
tons are raised. Concerning the National
Guard it is provided that when the mem
bers Of any company or regiment of the or
ganized militia shall enlist in the volunteer
ment, the regimental and company officers
in service with the militia organization thus
enlisting may be appointed by the Pres
ident, subject to an examination as to fit
ness and capacity, to be officers of CORE
spending grades in the same organization
when'it is placed in the service of the vol
unteer army. The troops in time OF war,
whether belonging to the regular or volun-
teer army or 10 the militia, are TO be or
ganized in three brigades, each brigade to
be composed of three or more regiments,
and when three or more divisions are as
senbled in the same army the President is
to organize them into army corps, each
corps to consist of not more than three
divisions. The President is TO appoint in
the volunteer army not exceeding one
major general for each organized army
corps and DIVISION and one brigadier gem
eral for each brigade to be selected from
the regular volunteer army or the
militia. Following are the provisions of the
bill in full:
ing the military establishment of the
United States in time of war, and Tor
other purposes:
male citizens Of the United States, and per-
sons of foreign birth who shall have de-
clared their intention to become citizens of
the United States, under and in pursuance
of the laws thereof. between the ages of
eighteen and forty-tive years, are hereby
declared to constitute the national 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 of
the militia of the several States when called
into the service of the United States: Pro-
vided. that. in time Of war the army shall
designated, respectively, as the regular
army and the. volunteer army of the United
States.
sec. 8. That the regular army is the per-
manent military establishment, which is
maintained both in peace and war accord
"Sec. A. 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 all enlistments for the vol
unteer army shall be for a term of three
years. unlesss sooner terminated, and that
all officers and men composing said army
shall be discharged from the service or the
United States when the purposes for which
they were called into service shall nave
been accomplished, or on the conclusion OF
sec, 5. That when it becomes necessary
to raise a volunteer army the President
shall issue his proclamation, stating the
number of men desired, within such limits
as may be fixed by law, and the secretary
of war shall prescribe such rules and regu-
lations, not Inconsistent with the terms or
this act, as may in his judgment be neces-
sary for the purpose of examining, organiz-
ing and RECEIVING into service ire men
into service in the volunteer army snail, as
far as practicable, be taken from the sew
eral States and Territories and the District
of Columbia in proportion to their popula-
tion.
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
shall be appointed by the President upon
the recommendation of the Governors OF
the States in which their respective organ1-
cations are raised, subject to such an ex-
animation as to fitness and capacity as the
President may prescribe: Provided, rurther,
that when the members or any company OF
regiment of the organized militia or any
State shall enlist in the volunteer army IN
o body as such company or regiment, the
regimental and company otncers IN se n,isf
ing may be appointed by the President, SUD-
ject to such an examination as to the ntness
and capacity of said officers as he may pre-
grades in the same organization when II
shall have been received into the service or
the United States as part Oh the Voluh-
sec. I. That all organizations Of the vol
unteer army shall be so recruited from time
to time as to maintain them as near TO tnelr
maximum strength as the President may
deem. necessary, and such new ORGANIZATIONS
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 ana ENLISTED
men as the President may deem necessary
Sec g. That all returns and muster rolls
of organizations of the volunteer army ana
of militia organizations while in the service
of the United States shall be rendered 10
the adiutant general of the army ana upon
the disbandment of such organizations the
records pertaining to them shall be trans
ferred to and filed in the Record and Pen
sion Office of the War Department
Sec g. 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 army or TO the mlhtia'
shall be organized, as far as practlcaole,
into divisions of three brigades, each
brigade to be composed of three or more
regiments and whenever three or more OIL
visions are assembled in the same army the
President is authorized to organize them
into army corps. each corps TO consist OF
not more than three divisions.
Sec 10. That the staff of the commander
of an army corps shall consist or one as
sistant adiutant general, one inspector gem
eral one chief quartermaSter, one chieI
commissary of subsistence, and one CHER
surgeon, who shall have, respectively the
rank of colonel one assistant adJutant gen.
eraI. who shall have the rank of captain,
and the aids-de-camp authorized by law.
The staff of the commander or DIVISION
shall consist of one assistant adjutant gen.
eral one inspector general. one CHER quar-
termaster, one chief commissary OF subslst-
ence and one chief surgeon, who shall have,
respectively the rank of lieutenant colonel.
and the aids-de-camp authorized by law
The staff of the commander Of a brigade