The San Francisco call., 1899-04-15
CANNOT MUSTER
OUT VOL I'm TIERS
South Dakota Troops
Are Needed.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


Call Headquarters, Wellington Hotel,
Washington, April IA.
The War Department will notify Gov
ernor Lee of South Dakota that all
volunteer troops In the Philippines will
be brought home as soon as deemed ex-
pedient by the military authorities on
the spot, and as rapidly as the force of
transports will permit. 1t is not likely
that his demand for the immediate
muster out of the South Dakota regi-
ment will be complied with, but there
is no doubt that all individual soldiers
of that command who insist upon their
discharge will be mustered out and
sent home on the first available trans
port.
1t is maintained at the War Depart
ment that the statute regulating the
muster out of volunteer troops at the
close of the Spanish war contemplated
that the executive department should
have ample time in which to arrange
for the discharge and transportation
home of the troops. That is a work
of considerable magnitude and requires
time. The experience of the Civil War
in this respect is recalled to show that
several months and in some cases more
than a year were consumed in demob-
ilizing the army.
The provisions in the Hull bill al
lowing volunteers in the Philippines to
be enlisted for six months may be con-
strued that volunteers need not be
mustered out at this time if their ser
vices are absolutely necessary to the
Government.
1t is admitted in official circles how
hot n l., IL
able in the case of troops who insist on
being mustered out. Chairman Hull
stated on the floor of the House, when
asked If the six months clause would
be construed to continue volunteers in
the Philippines if they wanted to come
home, that he had the assurance of the
administration that no such construc-
tion would be made. The statute bear
ing on this subject is section 10 of the
act for increasing the efficiency of the
army, which provides: The President
is authorized to enlist temporarily in
the service for absolutely necessary
purposes in the Philippine ISLANDS yu,-
unteers, officers and men, individually
or by organization, now in those islands
and about to be discharged, provided
their retention shall not extend beyond
the time necessary to replace them by
troops authorized to be maintained un-
der the provisions of this act and not
beyond a period of six months"
Nothing has been received from Gen
eral Otis on the subject since March 16.
but advices are expected from him
daily.
The officials of the War Department
are confident that General Otis will do
the best he can under the circum-
stances, and that SO far as possible he
win arrange for the return to the
United States of all volunteer troops
desiring to do so.
According to Secretary Alger's latest
instructions, General Otis is vested
with plenary powers and may exercise
his discretion in the matter of the dis
charge of individual volunteers or or
ganizations. 1t is estimated that there
are about $4,000 volunteers in the Phil
ippines, and reduction of the effective
force under General Otis at this time
to that extent is said to be entirely out
of the question.
The War Department is using every
endeavor to induce volunteers to re
enlist in the regular army under IN,
provisions of the Hull bill. 1t has ar
ranged for an allowance of travel pay
amounting to between $500 and $500 in
each enlistment. 1t is confidently ex-
pected that a great many of the volun-
teers will take advantage of this op-
portunity and remain in the service.