The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-01-21
UNCLE sam HAS
MORE SOLDIERS
Dick Law Places Militia on the
Same Footing as the Reg
ular Troops
LAW Gats IN EFFECT TODAY
President OF United States Can Now
Call Upon State Troops in Time Of
War When Regulars Are Not
Equal to the Occasion.

Equal to the Occasion.
Washington, ID. c., Jan. 2f.-The fa-
nous Dick Law" which nationalizes,
so to speak. the militia organizations
of the various states by placing them
upon the same footing as the regular
army and making them national mill
tary organizations subsidiary to the
regular army in case OF war, went into
effect today. This law framed by
United States Senator General Charl-
es Dick, OF Ohio was originally pass
ed by Congress in 1908 and was in
tended to become operative at once. 1t
was readily seen. however, that the
States could not change their systems
so soon, and that much time would be
needed for the reorganization. Then
it was decided that the law should go
into effect in 1908. but when the five
years had elapsed Il was found that
even then several of the States, among
them Pennsylvania and Delaware, were
not quite ready for the change and the
time was once more extended TO jan
uary 21, 1910.
The law provides that the militia
shall consist OF every able-bodied male
citizen of the respective states and
territories and the District of Coum
bia, and every bodied male of
foreign birth who has declared his in
tentlon Of becoming citizen. who is
more than eighteen and less than for
ty-five years OF age. and shall be di
vided into two classes: The organized
militia and the reserve militia. The
regularly enlisted. organized, and uni
formed active militia in the several
st tes and territories and the District
of Columbia who have heretofore par
ticipated or shall hereafter participate
i'm the apportionment of the annual ap-
preparation, shall constitute the organ
lied militia and shall, from now on,
have the same organization. armament
and discipline as that which is now
or may hereafter be prescribed for the
regular army of the United States, sub
icct I'm time OF peace TO such general
exceptions as may be authorized by
the Secretary of War.
Under the new law every regiment
of infantry or cavalry of the organized
militia and each separate or unassign-
ed battalion of infantry or engineers
or squadron of cavalry of the organized
militia is entitled to one assistant in
spector of small-arms practice with
the rank of captain or first lieutenant;
while each organized brigade is en-
titled to an inspector with the rank
of major and each division to one
with the rank of lieutenant colonel
The President of the United States. in
time of peace, has the right to fix the
minimum number of enlisted men i'm
each company, troop, battery, etc.
The law provides that whenever the
United States is invaded or threaten
cd with invasion by any foreign pow
er. or a rebellion against the authority
OF the Government, or when the Pres
ident should be unable with the regu
lar forces at his command to execute
the laws of the Union, it shall be law
full for the President to call forth
such number OF the militia as he may
deem necessary. In his call the Pres
ident may specify the period for which
such service is required. No COM
missioned officer or enlisted man of
the militia is TO be held to service be-
yond the term of his existing commits
sion or enlistment.
The Secretary of War is authorized
to issue from time to time to the or
ganized militia such number of the
United States scrvicc arms, together
with all accessories and such other ac-
coutrcments, equipments. uniforms and
clothing as used by the regular army
of the United States. The Secretary
of War is also authorized to provide
for participation by any part of the
organized militia of any state of the
request of the regular army, i'm the en-
campment. maneuvers, and field in
struction of any part of the regular
army. Upon the application Of the gov
ernor of any state the Secretary Of
War may detail one or more officers
or enlisted men of the army to report
for duty i'm connection with the or
ganized militia. a consulting board of
five officers of the militia shall be Sc
locted by the Secretary of War for
term of four years to report to him
from time to time and confer upon
matters connected with the service.
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