Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-20
THE DISTRICT MILITIA
FAVORABLE REPORT ORDERED ON
MoRRELL BILL.
Proposed Reorganization Agreed to
With Practically No Changes
Hope for Action This Session.

The House committee on the militia to-
day authorized a favorable report on the
Morrell bill, for the reorganization of the
militia of the District of Columbia Repre-
sentative Morrell is chairman of the COM
mittee and will draw up the favorable
port which will accompany the measure
Every effort will be made to have the bill
considered in the House during the next few
days, in order that it may be sent to the
Senate in time for enactment into law be-
fore the end of the present session. 1t was
owing to this urgency of immediate action
that the committee gave over practically ITS
entire session today to consideration OF
the bill, which is quite lengthy, containing
no less than twenty-eight paragraphs.
Gen. George III. Harries, commanding the
militia, and Col. l.. NJ. Brett. adjutant gem
eral, were present at the request of the
committee. and explained any points not
made entirely clear by the language of the
measure.
The bill provides for a complete reorgan-
ization Of the militia and the National
Guard of the District along the lines of the
Dick militia act. In time of peace 1t is
stipulated that the National Guard shall
consist of not more than thirty-two com
panies of infantry, four companies of coast
artillery, one troop of cavalry, one battery
of field artillery, one signal corps company,
one hospital corps and three bands. The
membership of these various organizations
Is Sp6CiHCdIIy set IOTtii. fIllllStnen III tie
guard shall be for a term of three years,
and no enlisted man shall be honorably
discharged before the expiration of his
term of service, except by order of the com
handing general, and for the following rea-
sons: Upon his own application for good
and sufficient reason, approved by the COM
manding officer of his company. and by
superior commanders; upon removal from
the District; upon disability, established ty
certificate of a medical officer; to accept
promotion by commission; whenever in the
opinion of the commanding general the in
terest of the service demands such dis
charge.
As to Courts Martial.
The paragraphs of the DILL relating to
courts-martial were discussed at some
length by the committee, but were not
amended in any particular. Both Gen.
Harries and Col. Brett spoke of the adj
visibility of enacting the sections under
discussion, stating that the provisions of
the bill in this respect followed the Dick
bill, the army regulations and articles of
war, and the best practices in the states.
Chairman Morreil who is judge advocate
general of the state militia of Pennsyl-
vania, also concurred in the provisions of
the various court-martial paragraphs.
Section - of the bill provides that when
ordered to duty in case Of riot, invasion, or
war, whenever called in aid of the civil
authorities, enlisted of the guard shall
receive pay at d rate equivalent to three
times the pay of men in similar grades of
the regular army. This provision is-in line
with the Dick general militia act except
that in the latter the actual figures are
given. 1t was explained that the provision
in the District bill simpltes the matter and
further takes care of tie men in case of a
change In the rate OF pay in the regular
army.
There was also some discussion of section
a. which eXeinpts from jury duty for all
time any person who has served six years or
more in the guard Gen. Harries explained
that in many of the states the exemption
holds even If the person has only served a
day. The idea of the section is that the man
who has served six years in the guard has
gwen more of his time to the community
ard the government than the Jury duty Of
the average citizen would amount TO in a
hundred years. The section was adopted
without amendment.
Necessity for Paymaster General.
General Harries briefly explained the ne
cesslty of paymaster general for the mi
litia, provision for which is contained in
section 20 There are now a commissarv
general, surgeon general, etc, on the staff
OF the commanding general. The paynas-
ter general would make the organization
complete In accordance with the practice
of the states.
General Harres also explained to the
committee the difference between the Dis
trict of Columbia Militia and the District
of Columbia National Guard The militia
consists or every able-bo man in the
District between the ages of eighteen and
forty-ive years, not constitutionally ex-
empt The National Guard is the active
force of the militia. If the occasion re-
CURED, General Harries stated, he could
call to arms not only the present organi-
cation of the National Guard but all the
able bodied men of the District General
Harries said the paymaster general would
have the rank of major in the militia and
probably the rank of captain and aid In the
National Guard organization of the mill
tia.
Section p provides that nothing in the
act shall interfere with the dates of exist
ing commissions. Under the act the guard
is to be completely reorganized. Gen Har-
ries said, however, 1t was not desirable to
change the date of officers commissions. A
man holding commission of the date of
July /, 1887, would not like to have it
changed to July l. 1904. Chairman Nor
rell stated to the committee that whereas
In the states the commissions are given for
specified term of years, those in the Dis
trict are issued by the President, and con-
tinue until revoked by him. Officers take
pride in the length of their service as rep
resented by the date Of the commission.
A favorable report was then unanimously
ordered.