The sun., 1898-06-16
THE VOLUNTEER ARMY Law.
Some InconsistencIea That VIII Require LeEis-
latIon Remedy.

Some IneOnsiste n cIes That VIII Require LeEis.
latIon Remedy.
WASHINGTON, June l5.-Some add tional leeis-
lation will be necessary to remedy tho inconss-
teucy in the laws which now govern the volun-
teer army. Chairman Hull of tho House Military
Committee was iu consultation to-day with Sec
retary Alger, Adjt.-Gen. Corbn and other
officials in regard to the means of relief. Tho
difficulties and perplexities which have beset
the military authorities are due to provisions of
the act authorizing the volunteer army
and the so-callod Hull Reorganization law.
Both acts permitted Incorporation into the gen.
eral service of State troops militia as organ
lied under their respective State laws. This re-
suited In the mastering in Of regiments in many
States, with officers and organization quito
dissimar to the conditions governing the army
and not at all in accord with the provisions of
tho United States statutes In Missouri. for
instance tho State laws permitted for each
regiment an inspector of small arms. a subsist-
ence officer, an ordnance officer. and a Judge
Advocate. with the rank of Captain, respective
ly. These officers are not provided In United
States regiments or in tho regiments of many
other States.
Each New York regiment has at least two ex-
ira officers in Tho same way-a subsistence OIL
Ger of the grade OF First Lieutenant and an in
spector OF rife practice who has the rank OF
Captain. 1t is q question whether the State
laws really apply to regiments incorporated in
the present volunteer army, 1t being maintained
in some quarters that tho troops are neither
State troops nor militia, but volunteers, to
whom the State laws do not apply in this in
stance, and of whom no specific mention is mad Q
in either the Volunteer Army law or tho Hull
Reorganization act. Congressman Hull said to-
day that tho intention of both measures was to
fhN nta in tha vol,
teer organizations. The direct effect of this. the
military authorities now say. is to have a volun.
teer army so multi-organiZed as to bo based on
forty-six laws, one for each State and another
for the United States. Tho army officers who
have been embarrassed by this arrangement
charge tho National Guardsmen with a disas-
trous influence
1t has become a question, for ono thing.
whether these extra officers are legally holding
commissions and whether they may be properly
paid out of the public funds the salaries u T.
taching to their rank. The Comptroller OF the
Treasury has tho matter under consideration.
and his decision Is awaited with moro than ordi-
nary interest. since upon his conclusions do
pends not only the legality of individual COM
missions and compensations, but the pos
sibiity of uniform organization. The same
State laws which are responsible for these
officers also authorize reGimental and other
organizations. Some of the companies,
for instance. under these State statutes
cannot have . greater numerical strength
than eighty-four, and there is II marked differ
ence In the number of officers authorized for
| companies and regiments. Recently laws have
been hurredly enacted in some of tho States
| adding to tho number OF officers The State
authorities were advised to-day by tho War De-
| partment that no change in organization or in
| tho number OF officers would be permitted after
| tho date OF tho enactment of tho troublesome
| laws. Upon the decision of tho Comptroller
| will depend whether 1t is possible to make use
of tho three battalion formation throughout the
| army.