The National tribune., 1910-04-21
THE VOLUNTEER OFFICERS BILL.
The Present Status of the Mcasurc-The
Arguments for 1.-THE ENLISTED
Mems Clause.

Arguments for N-Ihe Eniisteu
Mems Clause.
On the 18th instant. in Congress. Mr..
Prince. OF Illinois, representing the
Committee on Military Affairs, submit
ted to the House favorable report on
the so-called Warner-Townsend volun-
teer retired list measure. being Mr..
Townsend's House Bill No. 1889, with
the recommendation that 1t pass. with
certain important amendments. The
| original of this bill is now pending in
| the Senate. as Senate Bill No. 4IS3.
| having been introduced by Senator
Warner. of Missouri. former Command
er-in-Chief nf the Grand Army OF the
Republic. The House bill as amended
by the Committee on Military Affairs is
! given below:
Warncr-Townsend Bill as amended.
BE it enacted by the Senate and
| House of Representatives of the United
! States Of America in Congress assem-
bied. That there is hereby created in
| the War Department and Navy Depart
| ment respectively a roll designated as
the civil war volunteer officers retired
list Upon written application made to
| the Secretary of the proper Depart
ment, and subject to the conditions and
requirements hereinafter contained, the
name of each surviving officer OF VOL
unteerS who served as an officer in the
Army. Navy or Marine Corps OF the
| United States in the civil war. and was
| lhonOrably discharged from service by
muSter-out resignation or otherwise,
| shall be entered on said list as of the
| highest rank held by him during said
service. Each surviving officer so en-
| tered on said list shall have served in
said Army. Navy or Marine Corps in
| i
not have been retired with continuing
retired pay. and shall not belong to the
| United States Army, Navy or Marine
Corps: Provided. That Il surviving Off
Ger who lost an eye, an arm or leg in
| the line of duty. or who was honorably
| discharged from service by muster-Out
resignation or otherwise because of a
wound or other bodily injury received
or incurred in the line of duty. or be-
cause of disability incurred in the line
| of duty while prisoner of war, shall.
| if otherwise eligible under the terms of
this act, be entitled TO be placed on said
list, and to receive the full benefits of
this act, without regard to the length
of his said service: And provided, fur
ther, That in computing the length of
service of any surviving officer, for the
purposes of this act. there shall be in
cluded. in addition to the service as an
| officer of any rank. all such service as
he shall have rendered in said war as an
enlisted man or as an appointed petty
| officer. Applications for entry on said
list shall be made in such form and
under such regulations as shall be pre-
scribed by the War Department and
Navy Department respectively, and
proper blanks shall be furnished for
said purpose upon request made to the
proper Department by surviving officers
claiming the benefits of this act. A
certificate of service and Of enrolment
under this act. properly prepared in
the War Department and Navy Depart
ment respectively, shall be furnished to
each surviving officer whose name shall
be entered on said list.
Sec. 2. That surviving officers who
served as officers in the Regular Army.
Navy or Marine Corps of the United
States during the civil war. and who
were honorably discharged from SER
vice by muSter-oUt, resignation or 9TH
erwise, and have not been reinstated in
said service nor retired with continuing
retired pay. shall upon application duly
made, be entered on said list and re-
ceive the benefits of this act on the
same conditions that are herein pre-
scribed for surviving volunteer officers.
except that they shall not be required
to have served as volunteers.
Maximum and Minimum Limitations.
Sec. 8. That. subject to the maxi
mum and minimum limitations OF re-
tired pay hereinafter contained, each
surviving officer whose name shall have
been duly entered on said list who
shall have served as aforesaid in the
civil war term or terms agregating
two years or more, shall receive, out OF
any money in the Treasury not other
wise appropriated. one-third pay, ac-
cording to his former highest rank and
former branch of service as entered on
said list, which One-third pay shall be
equal TO one-third Of the initial pay now
received by officers of like or equivalent
rank in the United States Army, Navy
or Marine Corps. respectively; and each
surviving officer whose name shall have
been duly entered on said list who
shall have served as aforesaid in the
civil war term or terms aggregating
less than two years but not less than
six months, shall receive, out OF any
money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, each according to his ag-
Sregate term of service, an amount
bearing such proportion to the pay
herein granted 10 officers of the same
CT equivalent rank for two years SER
vice as the aggregate term of service
bears to said term of two years. The
retired pay provided for by this act
shall begin upon the date of the pas
sage OF TINS act and continue during the
natural lie OF the beneficiary: it shall
be payable quarterly, and shall not eX-
ceed, in the case of any surviving Off
Ger, two-thirds of the initial paw now
received by a Captain in the United
States Army; it shall not be less than
$500 per annum in the case of any sur
ViVlng officer whose name is duly en-
tered on said list and whose term or
terms of service during the civil war
aggregate two and one-half years or
more, and 1t shall not be less than S40O
per annum in the case of any surviving
officer whose name is duly entered on
said list: Provided, That the provisions
of this act shall not apply to any person
until he shall have arrived at the age
of 10 years.
Sec. 4. That each surviving officer
who shall receive pay under this act
shall thereby relinquish all his right
and claim to pension from the United
States after the date of the passage of
this act. and any payment of such pen
sion made to him covering a period
to the passage OF this act
shall be deducted from the amount due
him on the first payment or payments
under this act. The pay allowed under
this act shall not be subject or liable
to any attachment. levy. lien or deten-
ton under any process whatsoever: and
persons whose names are placed upon
said roll shall not constitute any part
or tEe United States Army, Navy or Ma
rine Corps.
Sec. .. That any person who served
as an enlisted man 90 days or more in