The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-09
ROOT MAKES REPLY
SECRETARY OF WAR ANSWERS
QUERIES OF LOCAL OFFICERS
RELATIVE TO DICK BILL.
THROUGH JUDGE ADVOCATE GEN.
ERAL DAVIS.


structiOn Yet Received on the Sub
ject-The Replies Are Addressed
to Mai. Williamson and Col. Cor
dOn-Treat Only of the SO-CalIed
Objectionable Features.
A most comprehensive and au-
| thoritative construction of certain sec
tons of the Dick militia is
| Secretary of War Elihu Re- to the
communications addressed 10 him by
| Maj. w. w. Williamson and Col. G.
A. Gordon. These were received yes
terday morning.
1t will be remembered that Maj
| Williamson delivered his communica-
! ton in person to the Secretary of War.
| The views of the Secretary of War are
| communicated through Judge Advo-
cate General George B. Davis. The
response has been awaited with a
| great deal of interest by the officers
| and men. The answers to the various
| queries are transmitted in a clear and
| informal manner, easily comprehen-
sible to every enlisted man. The COM
munications addressed to the Secre-
tary of War, and the answers to each
are given.
Following is Maj. wiliamson's let
ter to Secretary Root:
After conference with Gov. Terrell
of this state, and with his permission
and by his advice. I have the honor
to request an explanation of several
| clauses in the Dick Bill.
This bill is not clear in a number of
| its clauses, which I presume was the
reason for referring it to the War Col
| lege Board for their construction of
its meaning. In their report they have
not taken up fully the meaning of
| Section 4, and it is this part of the
bill that has given rise to a great deal
Of discussion and uneasiness on the
part of the state troops.
1 enclose two extracts from the Sa-
vannah Morning News, which give the
two sides of the question as viewed
here. Preference is here made to the
articles by Capt. w. B. Stephens and
Col G. A. Gordon, appearing in the
issue of May 10, 5000
Complaint of the Men.
The organizations here are largely
composed of our best young men, and
| they give their service to the military
from a sense of duty We have had a
number of riots in the past, which
were quickly suppressed by the mill
tary, and every one admits that the
good order prevailing in this city is
very largely owing to the presence of
a large military force. Since the dis
cussion of Seton of the Dick Bill
has arisen, a large number of the men
have given their officers notice that
| they cannot remain in the military if
| they are liable to be called out for po-
lice duty and sent to other states, for
| numbers of them who are getting SIS
| and 500 per month. have families de-
pendent on them. and if called out for
| any such duty for a lengthy period
they would lose their positions. l
want to say just here that the First
Battalion Heavy. Artillery (the Sa-
vannah Volunteer Guards) are 101
| years old, and have always done their
| duty. 1t mustered in for the War of
1912, took part in the Indian War in
Florida, volunteered for the Mexican
War, served through the entire war
between the states, 1s61-1865, and vol
unteered, and was accepted, in its en-
tirety during the Spanish War, being
| known as the First Battalion, Second
| Georgia Regiment, U. S. ", being the
only organization in Georgia that vol
d
| actual war they would again respond
but they do not want to be taken
away from their work to do duty in
another state. and on their return
home find their positions filled by
others.
Anent Police Duty.
l therefore respectfully ask:
First. Is it contemplated by the
President or the War Department to
send troops of one state into another
state to quell riot or enforce the laws
of the Union? If you reply yes, then,
Second. Has the President not to
use the regular army first, and if not
sufficient, the troops of the state where
the trouble occurs, before he can call
on the troops of another state?
Third Would not the order from
the President most likely come through
the Governor of the state?
Fourth. Is there not a law that the
troops Of one state cannot be sent into
another state without permission of
the Governor of the state the troops
are to be sent to? I have in mind the
case of Chicago, when President Cleve-
land sent a portion of the regular army
to quell the riot, as troops from other
states could not be sent
If Col. Gordon's explanation of the
method to be pursued in case of war
is correct (as explained by the Secre-
tary of War and the War Department.,
that the National Guard would be
called out and made TO serve until the
volunteer army had been properly or
ganized and equipped that they were
! not to be sent out of the country, but
would be held for home defense, the
feeling of uneasiness among the men
would be very much pacified,
] therefore most respectfully request
that to the questions / have asked 1
be given an official reply, also a con-
firmation of Col. Gordon's statement.
In order that the men of this com
mand may decide intelligently whether
they will continue in the National
| Guard or not.
! In conclusion, l wish to say that I
have served in this old organization
for thirty years. and l should dislike
very much to see 1t go to the wall. /
trust, therefore you will be able to
give me such official information as
will enable me to retain the men in
the command.
The secretary's Views.
Following is the reply to Mai. Will
liamson's letter. signed by Judge Adj
vocate General Davis:
II beg TO acknowledge receipt of
your letter OF the 18th ultimo, with its
Enclosures, containing certain inquiries
in respect TO the operation Of the new
militia law and 10 say in reply that
the Secretary desires me TO communi-
cate his views thereon in the same
I g.