The evening times., 1898-04-18
Robinson & Cherry Co.,
18th and F SITS. N. w. f!ss$5sssssss fss$$ss;:sSsissssss:
A PROVISIONAL ARMY.
President May Ask Authority to En-
list Four Hundred Thousand Men.

The President may ask Congress for
authority to raise a provisional army of
200, 900. The bill which has been drafted
to this effect will probably be submitted
to Congress on Tuesday.
The measure will follow the lines Of pre-
vious statutes to the same effect. 1t
viii give the President authority to enlist
men and commission officers Of a volun-
teer force for the purpose Of augmenting
the Regular Army TO the number mot eX-
ceeding 10000 IL was deemed best to
place this limit upon the volunteer force
about TO be raised, although probably
not more than one-eighth Of that force
will be included in the first call for vol
unteers. Even those officials who are
possessed of the most pessimistic of views
do not believe there viii be occasion for
enlisting the entire authorized force.
National Guardsmen are naturally pre-
ferred to volunteers. who have had no ex-
perience, and National Guard officers will
be selected for regimental and company
commands. made up of volunteers from
their own States. so far as is possible.
The designation of each regiment will be
such as 10 preserve the present State
identity. and viii be something, for in
stance like the First New York Provis-
ional Infantry or the Fifth Pennsylvania
Provisional Cavalry.
Beyond this, State identity will be sub
ordinated to the national orEanizaJ alton.
Regiments of State troops under their
present militia formations and with their
existing National Guard commanders,
VIII not be Incorporated into this provis-
ional army.
Regiments will be composed Of l.O00 men
and with this numerical strength IL VIII
be necessary in many cases To combine
two entire regiments, or U n ess vo'un GERS
were very general from National Guards
men. it might require four or five regi-
ments Of State troops to make single
regiment in the provisional. This would
leave as many sets OF regimental officers
as there were regiments Of State troops
represented in the composite provisional
regiment.
This condition would necessitate the
selection Of officers. and the present prop
osition is to repose in the President ths
power Of selection, not only FOR genera
officers. but for all other officers. incluG
ing those Of the grade Of second lieuten
ant Upon this point The National
Guardsmon whose voices have been raised
in the matter do not agree with the Fed
eral authorities but the latter insist that
IL efficien; organization Is TO be considered
before personal favoritism and the graft
fication OF individual pride there is no
other method TO assure a well-disciplined
force which shall be absolutely under the
control OF the Government.
The questions which arose during the
war Of the rebellion. some Of which have
not been settled TO this day. have su--
gested to the Washington officials the ad-
visibility Of transforming the militia into
an organization which SHALL be without
regard to National Guard formation.
Those who do not volunteer for
service in this provisional army
may be retained in the militia
organizations. and will be used in
emergencies within their respective States
or in the coast defenses, as one PROPOSE
tion cOntemplates.
it has been thought best to apply the
term provisional army to the volunteer
force which is to be raised. The Presi-
dent may see fit to abandon the term in
favor of the one used during the war OF
the rebellion. and designate the augment
ing force as a volunteer army" The
term provisional" however, suggests the
object Of the organization. Its numerical
strength. after the first call Of forty or
fifty thousand men, will be governed by
circumstances. The duty 10 which il will
be assigned will be controlled by later
developments, but ii will, undoubtedly. if
present views prevail, form an important
auxiliary Of the Regular Army which will
proceed without delay to Cuba.