The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-22
TO ENLIST THE FILIPNOS.
General COrbin May Supervise the
Organization af Natives


organization Of Natives.
During General Corbin-s visit to the
Philippines. where he is now investigating
the military needs and the situation in
the islands, ne will, with General Chaftse,
the military comma nder, Supervise the
work OF organizing several native regi-
meRts. Provision was made in one Of the
clauses OF the Army ReorEa aizatIon biIi
for the enlistment Of not TO exceed twelve
Filipino regiments. when in the discretion
OF the President the conditions in the is
lands should justify such action. They
are to be orEa nized as scouts and Differed
by Americans for the present But as the
natives prove their ability to command.
ana demonstrate their loyalty 10 the
American Government the law authorizes
the President to make provisional ap-
pointments to the grades Of first and sec
onG lieUtcRants
4 portion Of the on-con1missiOned Of
ficers will however he selected from
among tie native enlisted men. and it is
probable that some Of the Macabebe
scouts, who assisted in the capture OF
AguinaldO, and have rendered other val
liable service to the Government during
the past two years will be among the
first to he rewarded with commissions in
the provisional army.
Not long ago the President appointed
forty-three first and as many second lieu
tenants to officer these regiments and the
work Of organizing them will be begun
within short time The law directs, in
the discretion Of the President the or
ganization OF the enlisted natives into
companies as companies Of the regular
army in sqUaIrons or battalions, CORES
pondiug to similar organizations in the
cavalry OF infantry. The limit is fixed
at 1900 men
The pay of these soldiers has not yet
been decided upon. and it is possible that
they viii not receive as much as the
American soldier at first. although sever
al grades Of wages may be made from
S month W t. the pay of first-cIass
private in the regular army. The law
does not fix their compensation, but sim
ply states that it shall not exceed that Of
enlisted men in the regular army. The
amount is TO be determined by the Sec
rotary of War They viii doubtless draw
the same rations and allowances, al
though they are not entitled to draw any
more than the American soldier.
The notable success attending the two
battalions Of The Porto Rican regiment.
hl4N AAi'tltftl anu tith DttttJ GIDti tilr1FlsS
it feasible TO reduce the regular garrison
of that island to two companies of Coast
Artillery and four companies Of the EIev-
enth Infantry, suggests the possibility in
the near future of depending 20 a much
larger extent upon the Filipinos them
selves for preserving internal order
throughout the greater part Of the archi-
pelagO- The present is recognized as an
oppoTtune tine to utilize the best expert
enced material for this purpose in the
Philippines. for 900 thousand friendly
natives serving as scouts. whose coop
Grafton has been invaluable in the past
have not yet been discharged from the
American Army, while numerous insUr-
gents whose opposition to United States
sovereignty was altogether due TO NOR
tai fear of their generals. who have now
become enthusiastic American supporters,
and who have a natural fondness for
military life, are now clanoring 10 en-
list
The consensus Of opinion among United
States officers who saw the hardest fight
ing at the front and who were in best
position TO realize the value of native
auxiliaries. favors proceeding with the
organization OF such abIe-bodied and
Trustworthy natives as Will constitute an
effective force up to the fun limit of law
Service in the field long ago convinced
American comma nding generals that the
+ SIsca DsUe s.Uu EtOu-tIJO
Indispensable IN ending the TagaI rebel
/ lion, and would be as useful perhaps in
preventing future uprisings- 1t came to
be admitted at all headquarters that the
native scouts during the unhealthy sea
son were worth many times their num-
Der Of American soldiers on a prolonged
( hike" and that the Americans were new
ct able to get in such close touch with
( the inhabitants. owing to some extent TO
racial and ingual differences. as did the
native soldiers with surprising facility.
General Funston relied implicitly upon
his Mac4bebes in the memorable stratgy
which resulted in Aguinaldo-s capture
and during the most active period Of hos
tilities last year cabitd reports of prog
reSs made almost daily mention Of the
achievements Of Batson's, WiIdsr's OF
SaSJuer'S scouts
The largest calis-mcnts are expected
from the MaCabebcs and the IgOrrotes.
In case the experiment proves a success,
as the American commanders believe that
il viii. the proba biiities are that unless
there IS an active revival Of the insurrec-
! ton, several thousand American troops
viii be- withdrawn from the islands within
{ the next SIX or eight months