Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-01
EIGHTEEN PAGES.
SUNDAY. JULY 1. 1900.
AN ACT WITHOUT A PRECEDENT

The champions of the theory that
the President of the United States can
order any part of its army to invade
foreign country without first
asking authority OF Congress.
are citing as presidents in
stances where marines have been
landed to protect American lives
Is hardly necessary to point out that
the cases are very dissimilar. To land
few marines in an emergency is one
thing; to deliberately equip an expedi-
tion Of soldiers and throw them into
& foreign country under command Of
an officer ordered out on purpose is
plainly very different thing. The
frat might be regarded as an act of
war by the country on whose soil ma
rines were landed; the last could not
DO regarded otherwise.
The number of marines available for
land service must be. in any case, ex-
tremely limited. They nrc not equip
ped for that service. and from the ma
ture Of the case nations look upon the
landing OF marines and the landing of
an army very differently. To take the
land 5000 troops in China under COM
mand of General Chaffee, it is appar-
ent that as a military movement 1t is
very different from the previous land
ing OF marines. If the 5000 troops do
not suffice for the purpose Mr.. McKin-
ley has In view (whatever 1t may bel,
1t Is not even pretended that addition
al forces will not be landed. How
large an army must invade China be-
fore such invasion constitutes an act
of war; It is plain that the line be-
tween peace and war is crossed when
She President has recourse to the army,
otherwise he can throw $4,000 or 100,-
900 men into China, capture Pel1in and
hold 1t for terms or for indemnity, and
yet it would not be war co
The fact that previous instances of
the landing of marines are now
brought forward as precedents for
landing soldiers is sufficient indication
of the danger OF this new departure
In future the fact that President Nc
Kinley. of his own motion, sent an
: army of 5000 men to China will be
q quite sufficient precedent for landing
10000 or 10000 somewhere else, in fu-
\ ture. The danger of such precedent in
the United States is seen to be great
when 1t is recalled that in South
America there are countries always
more or less in n state of
turmoil, and for which, in
s a sense. the United States assumes to
stand as sponsor to the world. How
easy it will be for so:,e ambitious
President to land troops on the soil of
one of our neighbors under the pretext
of restoring order, and then contrive
catch obligations" as men get the
measles, is only too apparent. This
could not be done with marines, for
the simple reason that they are not
sufficiently numerous.
1t is also to be borne in mind that
marines are. in n sense, "Internation-
! al Police; they arc enlisted for service
anywhere. and may be ordered any
where In time OF peace. Not so the
( soldiers of the army. They are not
enlisted for service in remote quarters
of the globe. and cannot be sent to do
service out of the territory of the
United States without authority OF
Congress, crccpt 6y Mc executive usurpa-
fion Of po,ecrs belonging TO Congress. How
pitinblc is the ignorance upon this
ssguestion IS apparent when one of the
most representative newspapers in
New York can say in justification of
\ III, Mckinley present course: 1T is
Z only two years since the representa-
tiyes OF the American people ordered