Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-22
ROOT ASKS FOR ADVICE
Wishes State Militia officers to Aid Inter-
probation Of New Law,
PRESIDENT GIVES KANSAS THREE DAYS
Agrees to spend seventy-Two Addi-
tiOnaI Hours in sunhOwer state
During Coming Trip Through
West and Northwest.

WASHINGTON, March 21.-Realizing
that all parts OF the country are interested
in the new militia law Secretary Root to-
day made public a report which the War
College board has prepared. explaining
the various provisions of the law and the
best means for putting them into opera
tion. The secretary has not approved the
report, but desires that It be given wide
circulation, so that officers Of state militia
may discuss with the department the adj
visibility Of its adoption.
Major General 8. NJ. B. Young, as presi-
dent Of the board, submits the report.
The organized militia are given until
January 21, 1908, to adopt 1.-The organiza-
ton. armament and discipline Of the reg
ular and volunteer armies and within
that time Is expected to conform as rap
idly as possible to the standard. 1t Is
provided, however, that on that date the
standard must be realized and thereafter
becomes a requirement.
Compliance Purely Voluntary.
1.-The law makes no provision" he says,
"for the coercion of any state or territory
which may refuse to conform, but in case
Of a declaration to that effect the secretary
OF war may ignore it in the allotment OF
the annual appropriation" That absolute
uniformity with the regular army may be
obtained the hoard believes that the presi-
dent should Immediately Ak the minimum
enlisted strength Of the various organiza-
tions of the militia to correspond to that
fixed for the army. It therefore recon-
mends the following minimum organiza-
tions: Infantry, IS; cavalry, 65; field ar
tillery, 100; coast artillery, 100; engineers,
100.
DooaRdhnU tho nhuutfa l Rnnditinn nf Of
hcers and men Of the militia for muster
into the service OF the United States, the
board recommends that the secretary Of
war prescribe for recruits the physical
recruiting standard adopted for the regu-
lar army.
1t fui Their recommends that the oath OF
enlistment and the length OF service be
left to the several states.
The board believes that the term stand
ard service magazine arms" in the section
relating to the issue of material to the
militia, which technically would be limited
to rifles and carbines, should be con-
strued to include "revolvers. standard field
artillery, gatling and other adopted ma
chine OF automatic guns"
Regarding the position of militia troops
In e~ncampments with troops Of the regular
army. the board declared that the militia
commander shall be subordinate to the
regular commander"
'In view Of the demands Of the regular
service" says General Young in conclusion,
the board recommends that no officer be
detailed to any state or territory having
an organized militia force Of less than
1000 men"
Britain Names Alaskan Commission.
The British embassy here has been for
mally advised Of the appointment of Lord
Alverstone, the lord chief justice Of Eng
land; Sir Louis Jette, retired Judge of the
supreme court OF Quebec, and Sir John
Douglass Armour, Judge of the supreme
court Of Canada, as members Of the Alaskan
boundary commission.
Fish Fakes oath OF once.
Hamilton Fish. recently appointed as
sistant treasurer of the United States at
New York, took the oath OF ONCE today
and will start his new duties on Monday.
Leave Wires for DiEEinEs.
General Greeley, chief signal onicer, has
lost almost all his employees working on
the telegraph lines in Alaska by the re-
ported discoveries of gold in the Tananah
section. Almost to a man the civilian en-
plo! es Of the signal corps have deserted
and started for the new diggings. The fever
dlbO lHleCleu tue SuAlSleu men VI the CUT pS
and undoubtedly there would have been
many assertions could the men have made
sure Of getting out of the country without
being arrested.
President FHvOrs Kansas.
Senator Long Of Kansas today arranged
with President Roosevelt for three ad-
ditional stops in Kansas during the western
trip at Grainheld, Oakley and Winona.
MaEnates to Testify.
The Interstate Commerce commission has
summoned the following to give evidence
at the hearing OF the Southern merger
case on Friday: John w. Gates, C. G.
Gates. T. NJ. Hubbard. Charles L. Lewis,
James Byrne, Rudolph Keppeller, ]. F.
Harris, Edwin Hawiey, President John
Shelton Williams OF the Seaboard Air line
and Fourth Vice President j. M. Culp OF
the Southern railway.