The National tribune., 1910-07-28
FIRST 1HREE-MoNrHs MEN.
Representative Douglas Trying to Inn
prove Their PensioDab.e Status.


Representative Albert Douglas, of
the 11th District of Ohio, has been
making an earnest effort to secure what
he considers just status for the sur
viving members of a number OF OHIO
regiments known as "three-months
men," who enlisted in Ohio in April.
1861. under the first call of President
Lincoln for troops.
The situation is something like this:
Under the act of June q. 1890, these
men were generally held to have a
pensionable status and great many
of them were granted pensions under
that act. Finally, by a decision rem
dered by Assistant Secretary Jesse E.
Wilson, on Sept. IL, 1907. in the case of
Joel S. Hopkins, private of Co. K. 5th
Ohio, 1t was held that these men had
not rendered 80 days military service,
as contemplated by the act of June 81,
1890.
With this opinion Congressman
Douglas strenuously differs, and has
appealed to the Secretary of the In
terror for a reversal of it. The ques-
ton involved is a somewhat technical
one. There were some IL regiments
organized in Ohio under the three
months call, but before their organiza-
ton was complete the President issued
MS call for volunteers to serve for three
years, and the greater part of the
members of these regiments who had
enlisted for three months re-enlisted
under the second call for three years
number of the men, however. did not
so re-enlst. and after being in camp
for about two months or in service
along the lines of the railroads in Ohio
and West Virginia they were either
transferred TO other service or were
furloughed home, subject to the call of
their officers
tered out and discharged, owing to the
expiration of their term of enlistment
The act of June 81, 1890, granted a
pension to those who served" for 90
days. The act seems to have plainly
contemplated by its rather peculiar linn
itations as to time these "three-months
men," But by the decision in the Hop
kins case the word Served" is held to
mean substantially that the soldier must
have performed actual service"
Mr.. Douglas has filed with the Secre-
tary of the Interior a long brief, in
which he reviews all of the cases bear
ing upon the question, and winds up as
follows:
For II years, to wit, from 1890 to
1907, so far as 1 can learn, no ques-
ton was made about the -pensionable
status of these men. Then came the
decision which seems to write the word
actual before the word Service in the
law, and number of them have been
dropped from the rolls. Their number
at best is but small, and / therefore
appeal against this technical decision.
and beg that it may be reviewed. 1
beg that the matter may be referred
again to the present Commissioner of
Pensions, and that the status of these
men, which 1 insist belongs to them
under the law, may be restored to
thern."
In an interview with the writer Mr..
Douglas informed him that some of
these men were still drawing their pen
sions, and that some of them had been
dropped from the rolls; that there were
only few of them left scattered thru
Ohio and several of the Western States,
principally in the Dakotas and in Kan
sas. He believes that injustice has
oeen done them, and proposes to do
what he can to secure a reversal of the
decision in the Hopkins case