The Atlanta constitution., 1898-08-22
The Army in Time Of Peace.

There seems to be some mlSc0nCep-
ton on the part Of many of those VINO
discuss the disposition of the army al
ter peace of the legislation under which
the volunteer army was brought into
being. 1t is argued that because enlist
ments are for a term of two years, the
status for at least THAT length OF time,
army Will be retained in its present
No such mistake would be made II
the letter of the law were studied. On
the contrary, the volunteer act is eX-
plicit in IT'S declaration that Immediate
ly upon peace being secured the army
must resolve itself back to its old peace
basis; and indeed, it looks as if there
must be stretching of the plain mean
ing Of the text to warrant the reten-
ton OF so many of the volunteers as
are manifestly necessary for giving ade-
quate garrisOns to our new possessions
during the time that things are being
Strengthened out
The fourth section of the law enacted
by congress and approved April 22d de-
cIares that the volunteer army shall
be maintained only during the exist
ence of war. or while war is imminent
There is certainly nothing in that dec
laraton which leaves it optional with
the president or anybody else. only
during the existence of war or while
war is imminent the latter clause, OF
course, designed to cover the period pre-
ccdfng the actual declaration OF hOstill-
ties if there should be any such period,
There is added a prOvisO under which
It is argued, there is given authority for
the retention of such of the volunteer
forces as the president and war depart
ment authorities may desire. This is:
"Provided that all enliStments for the
volunteer army shall be for the term OF
two years unless sooner terminated, ana
that all officers and men composing said
army shall be discharged from the ser
vice of the United States when the pur-
poses for which they were called into
service shall have been accomplished,
or on the conclusion Of hOstilitios.'
While this proyiso is not altogether
clear. the intent of the lawmakers
seems to have been to provide in as dis
tinct terms as possible against the re-
tention Of any of the volunteers after
the termination of host,lities, and there
is no provision, therefore, for holding
these troops to garrison the newly ac-
UUliGN It'IiNDIN VI 10 'p tICltN' way "a
Cuba. If the letter Of the law is obeyed,
the army Immediately unon the declara-
ton of peace will resolve itself back to
its peace basis of twenty-five thousand
men.
It is understood to he the policy Of
the president to reduce the size OF the
army just as soon as he can convenient
" do so and without waiting for the
formal signing Of the treaty Of peace;
but he viii retain force of perhaps
one hundred thousand for the present,
and congress will be asked to authorize
the temporary increase Of the standing
army to that extent. Republicans have
been as insstent as democrats IN their
declarations against the permanent in
crease Of the standing army, but the ad-
ministratiOn will argue the need OF one
hundred thousand troops, and there is
little doubt that congress will enact the
legislation asked. How long such an
army will be maintained is a problem
for the future to determine.