The sun., 1908-12-09
.ROOSEYELT'S Army SCHEME
MOULD MAKE EVERY MAN
LIABLE TO DUTY
iIetpeen Is and Al Years-BilI Would
Make II Possible 10 summon 1000
400. or. 10000 Men. According TO
Need In Case OF WAr-Taft FatheFed II


Need In Case or WAr-Taft Fathered II
Wa ,HINoroN. Dec. s. President Roose
welt transmitted 10 the Senate and House
To-day tho draft OF bill authorizing
athe raising OF a Volunteer army In time
Of aotuai or threatened war The bill
Is Intended to replace the present legis
lation, which the President declares In
hts message was placed ON the statute
+ books --piecemeal and hurriedly, partly
on the eve OF war with Spain and partly
after hostiiites had actually commenced"
The. President says in his message:
Every one familiar with the existing
law is aware that it is faulty and wholly
inadequate to a speedy and proper organ
izafion Of q volunteer force and that in
part Il has become obsolete through
recsnt legislation affecting the organized
militia. =:
1.-THE proposed measure was drawn up
under the supervision OF the Chief OF
stag and mas the hearty approval Of the
Wef Department: II is carefully pre-
pafod draft embodying as mnch of the
szisting law as seems wise and designed
q. afford the complete machinery by
Wnich, should We be confronted with a
s fongign war, the executive power could
proceed at once TO transform enthusi-
aetjo and patriotic citizens into efficient
and organized soldiers. Happily there
IL at present no clcad upon their horizon.
but that very fact affords the best oppor-
t1nity to proceed with deliberation
and care in the preparation Of laws ade-
auste and Indispensable for our possible
we5asedsg.
This measure would not call for
dellars expenditure during the years OF
peeoe and it's enactment into law now
w9iiId merely be to place at the dsposi-
4 fiqn of the executive power machinery
whereby should war threaten that means
"a Nage 1t could be swiftly brought into
+ being. To do this. however. requires
net merely adequate legislative provision.
Gtounded upon the law there must be a
vastInass of detail broughtinto a compre-
hehsive plan and ready upon the instant
70 BE- set into motion.
The Congress has provided general
stan corps and built for the war college a
permanent and beautiful home, and the
next logical step is to pass a comprehen-
siye volunteer act to the end that the
oxisting agencies may work out in advance
sSfha details OF its execution.
.The proposed bill is elastic. Under
tsts Provisions a force Of 100000 men
could be raised as we'll as one Of 50,0O0.
In making a volunteer army a sufficient
STAFF is indispensable at the start. since
without 1t organization cannot proceed.
The bill provides for this need and for
every other matter connected with raising
volunteer force which it is thought wise
toincorporate in the law. Itwas prepared
under the direction Of Mr. Taft when
Secretary Of War and has therefore the
approval OF the gentleman who is to be my
Successor as Commander in Chief, and
4 ] tfustit may commend itself TO the
Favorable consideration of the Congress.
as 1t has 70 mine, .. ........
The -bhl briefly stated declares that
every male citizen of the United States
between the ages Of Is and 45 constitutes
i part OF the military foroe OF the country
,knd liable to perform military duty.
In time of war; 10 reads, "the army
shall consist ;of three branches. which
shall be designated respectively the
Regular Army. the National Guard. the
Volunteer Army" a.,'t
The status OF the first two are already
bill declares that the Volunteer Army
shau be maintained only during the
existence Of war or while war Is imminent,
and shall be organized only after Congress
has authorized the President to organize
TE6 bill directs the discharge OF the
VuitEn4eef Army as soon after the close
cg hostihties as possible; that the troops
shall be taken from the States. Terri |
tories and the District OF Columbia in |
rfpportion 10 population.
EQcfion of the bill declares that the |
NQlunteer. Army shall be subject to the |
AVE and regulations governing the !
Regular establishment. its organization !
cpfresponding with the merits Of the |
Regular army as follows:
fBFigades, three regiments; divisions, |
three brigades and the necessaryauxiliary |
freops; corps. two divisions; armies. two |
or. more corps; but it shall be in the dis |
cfbtion Of the President to vary the COM
position whenever in his judgment public |
Interest requires
The bill confers on the President au- |
thbrity to appoint Volunteer field and |
etad officers for every twelve companies |
OF coast artillery raised pursuant TO the !
Ell, corresponding In number. apd grade |
with those authorized for an infantry |
rekfment- So. -.
Section o provides that the staff of the
commander of an army shall consist of
MS auth0rlHed personal stan and such
other staff officers az may be authorized by
the President and assigned thereto, a chief
Of stall from the Regular army. Fank of
BEiEadier- General, and Acknowledgement,
Inspector =General, Judge Adv oCste chief I
QRartermaster, commissary, surgeon.
peypnaster. engineer. ordnance officer
and signal officers, each ranking as Colo
mel .. --..
SThe chief Of star for each division is
IA come from the Regular army and rank
~ Colonel other staff officers shall rank
40 Lieutenant -Colonels. The staff officers
of brigade commander are TO have
rank as Majors. The bill limits the
o1icers to one Brigade-General for every
1000 men In service, one Ma ajor General
for every 1900, one Lieutenant-General
for every $4,000 and one General for
e4oh separate army.
In making appointments the President
IA directed to give preference to those
who have served honorably in the Regu-
lars, Volunteers or National Guard and
graduates Of educational institutions
which give military instruction.
The bill limits the number OF Regular
army officers who may hold commissions
In the Volunteers as follows: Engineers,
not to exceed two to the battalion; field
artillery, not to exceed two; cavalry
field artillery and infantry, not to exceed
Ave % the regiment.
0fficers and enlisted men in the yolun-
lteer army are placed on the same footing
as. TO pay allowances, DC. as those of like
rank la Che Regular army
.ztst. t.' ----------