The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-02
MILITIA PAY BILL
IS AGREED upon
Measure Providing Compensation
for Volunteers Seems Ger
tain of Passage.
ATTEND FoRTY-FIvE DRILLS
Men Must Be Faithful in Ser
vice--Secretary of War to
Make Regulations.
ATTEND FoRTY-FIvE DRILLS

There Is no longer excuse for delay
in the passage by Congress Of the
militia pay bill. according to officers
ure as 1t stands Ia agreed upon be-
| tween the Secretary of War. the Ma
ttonal Militia Board and various Ma
tional Guard officers. 1t is now in
| the hands of the House Committee on
Military Affairs hearing the stamp of
approval of all elements whose previ-
Gus disagreement was supposed to
stand in the way of this much desired
legislation.
After all. the bill as turned over TO
the committee by Secretary Stimson
contains changes practically limited
to the text. when compared with the
measure proposed by the National
Guard Association. 1t turned out that
the disputes were not over the funda-
mentals of the bill at all.
Hope for Action.
While acton az the present session
OF Congress is not expected. the mat
ter is being pushed in the hope that
the committee Will make its report
and get the legislation on the House
calendar ready for action by the be-
ginning OF the next session.
Chairman Hays attitude is now
able interest.
A definition OF the three essential
points in the pay bill is advanced by
Major.General Young, chairman OF the
executive committee of the National
Guard Association as follows:
al. The reasonableness of the pay
"2. The fitness OF the individual TO
| receive pay.
80. Tho assurance that the govern
will haV ha rf
paid"
No changes are made in the grading
of officers as to pay. except to be
| more explicit in naming those not of
the line in the various classes. But
upon tho advice of the paymaster
general. the language affecting enlist
cd men is entirely recast. That section
| now reads as follows:
Enlisted Mems Pay.
Section .. That under such rcgula-
tons as the SccretaD of War, after
conference with the National Militia
,, Board. shall prescribe. each enlisted
man of the organized militia OF each
Columbia, on the active list. shall re-
ceive compensation for his services.
except during the periods OF scrvice
for which under existing law or the
m DIVISIONS OF Section of this act lie
may become entitled TO the same pay
as an enlisted man OF corresponding
grade in the regular army. at rate
! equal to % per centum OF the initial
pay provided by law for enlisted men
of corresponding grades or the regu-
lar army: provided that such enlisted
man shall receive the compensation
herein provided II he shall have at
tended not less than forty five regular
drills during any one year, and pro-
portionate amount for at>cnGD nee upon
a lesser number OF such drills. not less
than twenty; provided. furtner that
the compensation provided herein shall
be computed for semi-annual periods,
beginning the first day of January
and the first day of July of each Year,
in proportion to the number OF drills
attended. and no compensation shall
be paid TO any enlisted man for the
first semi-annual period OF any year
unless he shall have attended during
said period at least twenty drills. but
any lesser number of drills attended
during said period shall be rcckoned
with the drills attended during the
second scmi-annual period In comput-
ing the compensation, IL any. due him
for that year; provided. further. that
when any man enters into an enlist
ment other than an immediate re-
enlistment he shall be entitled TO pro-
rortional compensation for that year
If during the remainder of the year
he shall attend a number of drills
whose ratio to twenty is not less tina n
the ratio of the part OF the year so
served 10 the whole year. and when
any mans enlistment snail expire the
compensation, if any. TO which he may
be entitled shall he determined i'll
like manner; and provided, further.
that periods Of any actual military
duty equivalent to the drills herein
prescribed. except those periods OF
service for which. under existing law
or the provision OF Section 5 of this
act members of the organized militia
may become entitled to the same pay
as officers and enlisted men OF the cor
responding grades in the regular army,
may be accepted as service in lieu of
such drills when so provided by the
Secretary of War"