Evening star., 1899-04-14
GOV. LEES DEMAND
Calculated to Cause the Administra-
tion Some Embarrassment.
MUSfERING OUT TROOPS AT MANILA
Individual Soldiers Who Desire
Will Be Sent Home.
NJ AFTER LEFT TO OTIS


In demanding the muster out and return
Of the South Dakota Volunteer Infantry
now in the Philippines. Governor Lee of
South Dakota has raised an important
point-one calculated to cause the adminis-
tration some embarrassment in the conduct
of military operations In the Philippines.
His telegram was addressed TO the Presi-
dent Of the United States and said that as
the South Dakota Volunteers had fulfilled
every obligation which they owed to their
country and its flag by fighting for human
ity against Spain they should not be re-
tained longer I'm the military service
against their will.'' against the law and
against the moral sense of the people of our
state without Offering some sound reason
for DOING
The matter was referred TO the War De-
parumcnt, but far no action has been
taken there. Adjutant General Corbn said
that the matter of thc muster out Of the
volunteers in the Philippines rested entire
ly in the hands of Gen. Otis and depended
upon the exigencies Of the service in that
lar distant quarter of the world.
Position of the Department
AS showing the position Of the War De-
partment on this question, Gen. Corbin
made public the following cable messages
that had passed between the department
and Gen. Otis:
WAR DEPARTMENT, March 3, 1899
"Otis, Manila:
"As rapidly as possible volunteers should
be returned upon ships that bring regulars
to you. VIII it be safe 10 send back al once
as many as the Scandia and Morgan City
took to you? ALGER."
MANILA. March 1, 1879.
Secretary War Washington:
Cannot dispense with volunteers Tow:
do not think they wish 10 return at pres
ent; have expressed desire to remain until
better conditions prevail. OTIS"
'ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE.
WASHINGTON, March Ii, 1899.
General Otis, Manila:
Secretary War directs me to say you
are given full authority to send indiN .duaI
nen or organizations to San Francisco for
'''> ''''- 90 - ~ ''' -''-' "CoRBIN."
Inducements to Re-Enlist.
Nothing has been received from Gen.
Otis on the subject since March III. but ad-
vices are expected from him daily. The
officials of the War Department. are con-
tideut that Gen. Otis will do the best he
can under the circumstances and that so
far possible he will arrange for the re-
turn to the United States Of all volunteer
troops desiring to do so. According TO Sec
I
Otis is vested with plenary powers and
may exercise his discretion in the matter
of the discharge of individual volunteers
or organizations.
1t is estimated that there are about 1000
volunteers in the Philippines, ana the re-
ducton of the effective force urder Cen
Otis at this time TO hat extent is said to
be entirely out of the question. The war
Department is using every eudeaVor to in
duce the volunteers to re-enist in the reg
ular army, under the proviz<ons of the Hull
bill. 1t has arranged Tor the allowance Of
travel pay amounting TO between 500 and
5000 in each such enlistment. 1t is con1f-
IDENTIFY expected that a great many of the
volunteers VIII take advantage of this op-
portunty and remain in the service. 1t is
also understood that the majority OF them
are determined to stay through patriotic
motives so long active hostilities con-
tinue.
Demand Likely TO Be Ignored.
The War Department will probably notify
Governor Lee of South Dakota that all
the 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 trans
ports will permit. Il is not likely that hts
demand for the immediate muster cut of
the South Dakota regiment Will be com
piled 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 hrst available
transport. 1t is maintained at the War
Department 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 20 arrange for the
discharge and transport ltAon home of the
troops That is work OF roEsi,." rable
magnitude, and it requires t1rle. Tha ex-
perience of the civil war in this resp, CT Is
recalled to show that several moT ths and
in some cases more than a year WIRE con-
sumed in demobilizing the army.
The Six Months Clause.
The provisions in the Hull bill allowing
the volunteers in the Philippines to be en-
listed for six months may be construed to
mean that the volunteers need not be mus
tered out at this time if their services are
absolutely necessary to the governmen.. IL
is admitted in official circles, however, that
this contention is hardly tenable in The
case of troops who insist on being mus
tered out Chairman Hull stated on the
floor of the House, when asked II the SIX
months clause would be construed TO con-
tinue the volunteers in the Philippines Z
they wanted to come home, that he had
the assurance of the administration that
no such construction would be made.
The statute bearing on this subject is
section 10 of the act for increasing the af-
fciency of the army, approved March .,
1899, which provides as follows:
THAT the officers and enlisted men of the
volunteer army shall be mustered out Of
the military service of the United States
and discharged as provided in the act Of
April %, 1898:
Provided, That enlisted men of volun-
teers who desire to remain in the military
service, either in the regular army or the
temporary force authorized by this act,
may, If found qualified therefor, be trans
ferred to and enlisted in such batteries,
troops or companies may be below the
maximum authorized strength and when
so transferred and enlisted shall Ue credited
on their new enlistment with the periods of
service rendered by them, respectively, as
volunteers.
And provided further That the Presi-
dent is authorized to enlist temporarily in
service for absolutely necessary purposes
In the Philippine Islands volunteers officers
and men, individually or by organization
now in those islands and about 10 be dis
charged, provided their retention shall not
extend beyond the time necessary TO re-
place them by troops authorized 70 be
mad ntained under the provisions OF this act
and not beyond a period of six months:
Provided, also, That each and every pro-
vision of this act shall continue in force
until July i, 1901; and on and after that