Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-30
few MORE NEEDED
REGULAR ARMY RECRUITED ALMOST
TO THE LIMIT.
STRENGTH IS OVER $1,000 MEN
MAXIMUM WILL. BE REACHED WITH
N TEN DAYS.
No Present Intention of Enlisting an
Army OF vOlunteefs-Demand for
1t Comes Chiefly Fro the
Men Who Want COm-
missions.
MAXIMUM WILL BE REACHED WITH.
N TEN DAYS.

WASHINGTON. March 29.-The following
vas posted at the war department to-day
Recruiting for the regular army is pro
crossing satisfactorily. both in number:
and high class Of young men Offering. Re
turns received by the adjutant general VI
to the close of yesterday show the enlisted
strength as being over 6~2,O0-within les:
than 1000 of the maximum-which. at the
present rate of enlistment. will be reached
within ten days"
1t is stated al the war department that
the subject Of mastering in 5000 volun'
teers has not been mentioned to the pres
ident, either by Acting Secretary of Wal
Meiklejohn or Adjutant General Corbin'
There is no intention to bring forward this
question at the present time. as. with the
troops already ordered to Manila. and
which 1t will take some months to trans
port thither, General Otis has all the
forces necessary to accomplish what is
desired Of him In the Philippines.
1t is stated at the war department that
the greatest demand for the organization
of the 5000 volunteers comes from the
men, and the friends of men. who desire
places as officers. There are already many
applications on file and not only men who
served with the state TROOPS. but those
who nave served in staff positions and
have been mustered out are anxious to
again enter the service. The authoritative
announcement has been made that the
president will not organize this provisional
army unless it is needed. So far there is
no demand from General Otis for more
troops than are now on their way to Ma
Mia. His last call was for three batteries
of light artillery. These were placed at
once under orders for Manila and are on
their way to San Francisco. They will
sail about the 10th Of April.
Those who insist that the provisional
army must be organized say that they have
information from the Philippines which In
dicates that a volunteer army cannot be en-
listed for six months. as provided for In the
bill, from the volunteers who will be mus
tered out when the Notifications of peace
are exchanged. 1t is claimed that these
volunteers will demand transportation home
at once. and that there will not be enough
regulars in the Philippines to carry on the
war with the Fflipinos.
Adjutant General Corbin says that infor-
nation received direct from General Otis Is
to the effect that the volunteer troops now
in the Philippines have demonstrated
against being sent home while the active
operations are in progress. General Otis
said that the volunteers nae periodically
declined to take advantage Of that privi-
lege. and had expressed the desire to con
tinue in service As long AZ there was any
fighting to be done. He added that they
were in excellent health and spirits. and
were rendering most efficient service.
A statement prepared at the war depart
mnt in regard to the regiments under or
ders and en- route to the Philippines shows
as follows:
The Twelfth infantry n four companies
of the Seventeenth infantry on the trans
port Sheridan. now nearing Manila: head
quarters and six companies of the Ninth in
fantry left San Francisco March "a; six
other companies Of the Ninth infantry will
leave the same port in q day or two: the
Sixth artillery will leave its present station
April Is. the Twency-first infantry will leave
its present station April Is. and the Sixth.
infantry. Thirteenth infantry and Sixteenth
infantry. and Light Battery F, First artil-
lery: F. Fourth artillery. and +, Fifth artil-
lery. are all under orders to prepare for
transportation to Manila by way of San
Francisco, and will be forwarded as fast as
ships ran be secured for the long voy-
age across the Pacific. These troops num-
Der about 0.9D In all. n their arrival at
will greatly strengthen the fighting
force Of General Otis.