Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-20
DELAY IN RECRUITING.
Inaccurate Statements as TO the Law
of tonurexs
NWashIngton Star-l9th.l

~ dnHlhSton Sldf-ltln.)
The statement IN explanation OF the de-
lay In recruiting the provisional voun-
teer force OF the army for service in the
Philippines. that a failure on the part OF
Congress to make other provisions for
the retention of the regular army at Co..
Vo made II necessary to discharge all but
ztOW OF the regulars. and then TO nll
their places by new enlistments. is incor-
rect.
substantially. this statement was mace
originally In an interview credited 70
Postmaster-General Smith published two
or three weeks ago, and has been gene
rally assumed 10 be correct and been
widely commented on. Mr.. Smiths pa
per makes a similar statement this morn
ing. oditorially. and this explanation OF
the delay In getting troops for service IN
the Philippines has been widely adopten
by public men in interviews and writings.
The fact is that Congress provided eN-
plcitlv In the act approved March 2, 1873.
authority for the President TO main
tain" the regular army at the maximum
OF e5coO enlisted men. and relieved the
/ President OF the necessity. by reason OF
law. Of reducing the regular army when
peace with Spain was declared
No such wholesome discharge of regu-
lar troops occurred at the close or the
Spanish war.
MR.. SMITHS STATEMENT.
Postmaster-General Smith, in his inter-
view. is quoted as saying, in response TO
criticisms based on there being no call for
volunteers "They do not know that the
army bill which passed on the 2d Of
March practically compelled the reorgani-
! zation of a new army. nearly fourth as
large as that which was raised for the
Spanish war. They do not know that
under the law authorizing the creation
/ of the army for the Spanish war, all the
regulars above 1900, as well as all the
| volunteers had 10 be mustered out at lhe
/ ratification OF the peace treaty ana ina l.
| while the new army bill provides Tor
| 60 1000 men, the whole number ABOVE -''V'0
/ has TO be raised afresn.
lie further says that 1000 men had TO
he enlisted on account of this state of the
law.
The law itself and the department re-
cords show this to be inaccurate. The
Law that existed when the army was
raised for the Spanish war provided that
maximum strength Of the army
c. 900 men-should not be maintained e&-
| ccpt in time Of war.
If there had been 10 new law the resu'
lar army would have had to be reuuceu u
p 900 when peace with spain was ue'
clared. The act Of March 2 1879 pro
vided against that. After providing tht
various details of organization the Sc'
says:
"That 10 meet the present exigencies o.
the military service, the President IL
hereby authorized TO maintain the ragr-
lar army at a strength of not eXceedlht
e. Oo0 enlisted men. to be distributed
etc II provides for the retention OF ap
pointment OF officers, the continuance o
| services. etc. ,,
There were no discharges from the regu
lar army. IL is said at the department
on account of any provision or lack o.
provision in this law for the continuance
of the regulars I'm service.
THE PRESIDENTS PROMISE.
The law under which the army was
originally enlarged provides for three
wear terms of enlistment. There were
number of discharges from the regular
army AT the close OF the war, but TINS
was not on account of any lack or law
but was I'm fulhlment Of a promise MADE
nv the President at the time OF their Ell
Hstment "a,
The exact number of discharges unoe
this promise is not easily got az. nut IL
estimated at the department that theI
a. lie said that nearly all 50 discharge
innediatelv re-enlisted They were as
charged and re-enlisted generally on lh'
same dav. this formality being necessdf!
In secure to them their travel allowance
They. therefore. required no new equip
uent nor breaking into service.
The reason for the promise on the Pres
ident was that at the beginning OF TN
Snarisb war every one wanted 10 ems
in the volunteer rather than the resuIa
army To overcome the objections 10 en-
Hstment in the regular service the Presl
dent announced i'm the recruiting orue
tbat ne would not insist upon the leSa
three wears service though the enlist
,ar,e rnust be- for that time. but woul
discharge all who asked TO be discharge
oftcr me close of the war with spain
The announcement was made IN gene
raj order. No. 40 issued May 10, 1873, De
fore anv Philippine was thought OF. !
did NOT apply 20 enlistments That ha
been made before that date, and 1t ma
no legal status.
me general order says: General orders
No. 40 headquarters Of the army, AdJI
tant-Generars Office, Washington, Ma
10. 1895.
II Nv direction Of the Secretary q
war il is announced that men enlste
mr. re-enlisted I'm the regular army durln
The war may be informed that they WI
he granted their discharges II desired
al the close of the war, upon their lndl
idual applications ,,,,
By command Of Maior-General Miles.
H. c. CORBlN,
Adjutant-