The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-04-06
FOR ARESERVE ARMY
A Bill to Create a Force to Supple
ment the Regulars.
WHAT REPRESENTATIVE HAY SAYS.
The Bnl Makes All Citizens Between the
Ages of 8 and 45 Liable to Military
Service In the Volunteer
Armv

Service In the Volunteer
Army.
Washington, April 2.-Representa-
tive Hay, of Virginia, one of the
prominent members of the military
committee of the house, has prepared
with great care n bill to create out
of the militia of the several states
II reserve volunteer army for use in
time of war to supplement the reg
ular service. The bill contemplates
"A general broadening of the basis of
the national guard, its equipment
with the service rifles and its com
plete organization in time of war into
regiments, brigades, divisions and
corps with the three battalion for
nations as in the regular service, and
is designated to obviate the necessity
of large standing army upon the eX
piration of the present law July /,
1901, increasing the standing army
to $4,000 and authorizing the present
volunteer army to $4,000. The bill
will be introduced in the house to-
day and receives additional impor-
tance from the fact that Mr.. Hay is
chairman of the democratic caucus.
The bill makes all citizens between
the ages of Is and As liable to mil
itary service in the volunteer army.
1t appropriatcs S4,OOO,O0O annually for
the maintenance and equipment of the
national guard of the several states,
thus forming the nucleus of the vol
unteer army and requires the secre-
tary of war to keep in each state a
supply of ordnance stores sufficient
for 90 days use of the national guard
of the state in event of war. 1t pro-
vides a system of mobilization for the
guard by dividing the states into mil
itary divisions and provides for a
board of officers in each state who
shall hold examinations for the posi-
ton of second lieutenant in the ma
tional guard, such officers to be pro-
NOTED for merit and efficiency
"'Ghe time has come" said Mr.. Hay
yesterday in explanation of his bill.
"when it is necessary to consider care
fully the question Of the future mil
itary establishment of the United
States. In the minds Of many the
maintenance of n large standing army
seems a necessity, and AT first blush
| it would seem there is no other way
out of the difficulty which now con-
| fronts us. 4 careful consideration
of the question has led to the belief
that the situation can be met with
out resort to that worst enemy of
IA republic, n large and permanent
!
of war has well said; That the reg
ular establishment in the United
States will probably never be, by it.
self, the whole machine with which
any war will be fought This being
admitted, il will certainly not be con-
tended that in time of peace the reg
ular establishment will be 'the whole
machine Conservative men will seek
some means by which the regular es-
tablishment can be reduced to min
imum compatible with the require
ments of the country in time of peace,
and at the same time will offer some
plan by means Of which an efficient
army can be placed in the field should
we unfortunately engage in war.
Va WV III ~ NdN VI bulNs lJul, Int
present army will be reduced to its
peace basis of 26,610 men. Taking
into account the situation which NAV
confront us at any time, will it be
necessary to increase the regular es-
Establishment beyond that number?
The reasons given for such increase
are various, but the most important
are that there must be sufficient
number of men to man effectively cur
seacoast defense; n sufficient number
to preserve the peace and order in
the Philippine islands, and a sufficient
number to do police duty against the
Indians and to take care of the
various posts i'm the United States.
! The number of men sufficient for
these purposes is variously estimated
| at from $4,000 to 100000 men; but il
! is not now necessary to determine
this question, because year may very
materially change present conditions.
"This country has fought all of her
wars with citizen soldiers, and no
| good reason can he given for depart
! ing from that policy. Money spent
for organizing and equipping the mi
! litia of the states is money saved, and
the sooner this course is adopted the
better it will be for the country.
Heretofore the militia has not been
organized with a view to war. The
folly, not to say crime, of such a pol
icy, was demonstrated in the Spanish
war. The time has come when we
must solve the problem of national
defense, and solve it. il possible, in a
way to prevent the creation of large
standing army. An organized citizen
soldiery, in touch with the people,
and composed of the people, does
this.
After LaGrippe-What?
| Usually rACkinp cough and 4