Evening star., 1899-07-19
DELAY IN RECRUITING
Inaccurate Statements as to the Law
of Congress.
PROVISION FOR $4,000 MEN
No Necessity for a Reduction to
$4,000 and New EnIistments.
THE PRESIDENTS PROMISE

The statement in explanation of the delay
In recruiting the provisional volunteer 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 5000 made 1t neces-
sary to discharge all but 27.OC0 of the reg
ulars and then to fill 5heir places by new
enIistments. is incorrect.
Substantially this statement was made
originally in an interview credited to Post
master General Smith, published two or
three weeks ago, and has been generally
assumed to be correct and been widely
commented on Mr.. Smiths paper makes a
similar statement this morning editoriIlly,
and this explanation of the delay in getting
troops for service in the Philippines has
been widely adopted by public men in inter
views and writings.
The fact is that Congress provided ex-
pliCitly in the act approved March ,, 1899,
authority for the President to maintain
the regular army at the maximum of $500
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 wholesale discharge Of regular
troops occurred al the close of the Spanish
war.
Mr. Smiths Statement.
Postmaster General Smith. in his inter-
view, is quoted as saying. in response to
criticisms based there being no call for
volunteers: They do not know that the
army bill which passed on the I'd of March
practically compelled the reorganization 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 au-
thoriZing the creation of the army for the
Spanish war ali the regulars above 1900,
well all the volunteers, had to be
ssg,FAf iasyN
treaty. and that. while the new army bill
provides for 5000 men. the whole number
above 21.oOO has to be raised afresh.'
He further says that +otsO men had to
be enlisted on account of this state of the
law.
The law Itself and the department records
show this 10 he Inaccurate The law that
existed when the army was raised for the
Spanish war provided that the maximum
strength of the army-I5.OOO men-shOuid
not be maintained except in time of war.
If there had been no new law the regular
army would have had to be reduced TO -
600 when peace with Spain was declared.
The act Of March >, 1899. provided against
that After providing the various details
of organization the act stys:
That, 10 meet the present exigencies of
the military service, the President is here
by authorized to maintain the regular army
at a strength of not exceeding 5000 en-
listed men. TO be distributed" etc. II pro-
vide5 for the retention or appointment of
officers. the continuance Of services. etc.
There were no discharges from the regu-
lar army. il is said at the department, on
vision in this law for the continuance of
the regulars in service.
The Presidents Promise.
The law under which the army was orig
inally enlarged provides for three-year
terms of enlistment. There were a num-
Der Of discharges from the regular army
at the close of the war, but this was not
on account of any law or lack of law but
was In fulfillnent of a promise made by
the President at the time Of their enlist
ment.
THE exact number of discharges under
this promise Is not easily got at, but it IS
estimated at the department that there
We're probably 1OOUD or Il, 900 in all, and
Is said that nearly all so discharged immed-
lately re-enlisted. They We're discharged
and re-en.isted generally the same day,
This formality being Mt cesSary to secure TO
them their travel allowance. They there
fore, required no new equipment nor break
ing into service
The reason for the promise of the Presi-
dent was that at the beginning of the
Spanish war every one wanted to enlist in
the volunteer rather than the regular
army To overcome the objections to en-
ilstment in the regular service the Presi-
dent announced in the recruiting order that
Ee would not insist upon the legal three
years service. though the enlistments must
be for that time, but would discharge all
who asked 20 De discharged after the close
of the war with Spain.
This announcement was made in general
order No. ~. issued May 10, 1898, before
any Philippine was thought Of 1t did not
apply to enlistments that had been made
before that date. and 1t had no legal status
The general order says: General orders
No 10, headquarters of the army adjutant
generals office, Washington. May TO- 1855
IL BY direction Of the Secretary of War
II is announced that men enlisted or re-
enlisted in the regular army during the
war may be informed that they will be
granted their discharges if desired, at the
close of the war. upon their individual ap-
phcations
By command of Major General Miles:
H c. CORBIN
AdjUtant General