Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-28
He Will Be Given a Force of
10000.
SECY. ALGER Sees THE PRESIDENT
Vigorous Campaign to Be Waged
After the Rainy Season.
PROGRESS OF RECRUITING

Secretary Alger. after a long conference
with the President this morning, said to a
Star reporter that it had been decided to
give General Otis force of 10000 men in
the Philippines by the close of the rainy
season. thus meeting the wishes of the
American commander that he be given an
effective" fighting force of 10000 men A
total Of 10000 men would allow % per cent
for sick and wounded and keep fully 10000
men for fighting and garrison purposes
We propose to have this force in the
philippines by the time the rainy season
closes said Secretary Alger, land we will
secure all We need by recruiting at the
regular recruiting offices. We have seventy
recruiting stations, and We believe that we
can secure all the soldiers We need by this
method"
The White House Conference
The decision as to an increased force was
definitely reached at the White House.
those present besides the President and
Secretary Alger being General Corbin and
Brigadier General Byrd. assistant quarter
master general, in charge of transportation.
General Byrd was on hand to say what he
can do about transportation. Secretary
Anger said IN this connection that addf-
uonaI transportation will be arranged to
meet the increased needs
No Call for Troops.
According to the Secretary's announce
ment there will be no call for troops and
all the required troops will be secured bv
the process of recruiting. In this wav the
exact number of men in the ranks will not
be known.
Adjutant General Corbfn said that the
men are to be recruited for three wears
When asked whether the enliStments would
De under the regular or volunteer portions
OF the army he answered that they would
be in the regular army. When asked next
If the giving of a larger force to Gen. Otis
would not increase the entire army above
65WO men he declined to talk further OF to
answer this question.
Vigorous Campaign.
The announcement that the additional
men are to be pushed to the Philippines by
the close of the rainy season means that
Gen Otis will then begin hard campaign
and that the insurgents will be forced from
point to point and made to surrender be-
fore the beginning of another rainy sea-
SON. The effort will be to crush them out
quickly.
Secretary Alger was asked if any military
organizations would be accented He did
not commit himself on this subject but in
dicated, as heretofore stated, that the in
creased force would be secured by recruit
ing.
1t is supposed that additional officers will
be necessary TO handle this increased force
Gen OTIS said in his recent dispatch that
MS ineffective force was about II per cent
II thls should continue to be the rate Gen
Gus would be able to get $4,000 fighting
men out of total force of 10000.
Recruiting Arrangements to BE
Elastic.
II was today definitely decided to begin
the enlistment for the first time of yolun-
teers under the act of the last Congress.
The number of men to be enlisted as vol
unteers has not yet been definitely deter
mined; it will be fixed by the needs of the
case Not very many volunteers will be
required at this time to give Otis the tuIi
force of 5000 effective fighting men he
wants But, realizing that there NAV be
ana probably Will be further casualties in
the Phhppines. and that the campaigns of
the future in the Islands may require a
greater force than Otis now demands the
recruiting arrangements are to be elastic
Inc officers scattered among the principal
cities OF the country who have been enlist
ing regulars Only will be instructed imme-
diately to prepare to enlist volunteers TO
serve tCr length of time that shall not
exceed the date of July l. 1901 The War
department is already preparing the neces-
sary blanks and instructions to recruiting
onheers- 1t is not intended at this moment
10 include in these instructions any limita-
uoflS upon the number of men TO be en-
listed; provision being made for fraouent
reports from these officers they can he
easily controlled, and recruiting NAV be
a ~
ments notice. The present indications are
that about 10OOo men at least will he
wanted, but as has repeatedly been stated
General Otis will be regarded as the best
authority in determining the force re-
quired in the Philippines
Local and State Lines to BE Ignored.
As stated in yesterdays Star. volunteers
VIII not be accepted in organizations; Sec
retary Alger is determined to adhere IN
that rule Looking over the act of Con-
gress he has concluded that the authori-
zation to raise these volunteer troops "at
large indicates a purpose on the part of
Congress to follow out the plan so success
fully operated in the case of the Immune
regiments. So 1t is the present purpose to
disregard state and local lines in securing
the recruits and welding them into organi-
ZatlOnS. Thus the regiments cannot be
known by state names. but simply under
the designation of LIST. I'd. 3D. etc volun-
teer United States infantry or cavalry No
difficulty is anticipated in securing the men
needed. for ii is believed that the 900 men
who are weekly Offering themselves at the
recruiting offices will be even more willing
to enter the army two-year volunteers
than as long-term regulars.
Where the Officers VIII Come From.
AS to the officers for these volunteer
regiments. the War Department has al
ready decided upon policy which. it is
expected, will, aside from its other merits
have the advantage of relieving the Pres-
dent and department from another enor-
NOUS rush of applicants for appointment
from civil life
That 10, simply stated, 10 fill the COM
IGands in the first place by promoting Off
GERS now in the regular army. who give
promise of showing ability as organizers
and managers of the raw recruits, and in
the second place by commissioning many
of the officers of the volunteer organfza-
tionS which covered themselves with glory
during the war and have been or are about
TO De mustered out Of the service The War
Department has carefully preserved the
records of these officers and already has at
hand long list of such of them as have
exhibited soldierly Qualities calculated TO
make them OF service in organizing the
volunteer forces. Under this policy il will
be seen. there will be little opportunity for
appointment OF civilians who have not
taken part in the war.
Increase fn ID. and o. Common Stock.