New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-08
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
pill TO Create Volunteer Army
Will Be Pressed in Congress.
rFron The Tribune Bureau
Washington. August :.

AGITATION FOR VOLUNTEER
',v-An effort will be made during
An' asent Congress TO obtain legislation
'0' Issing for a volunteer army. Repeated
pVs,,s in this direction have been made
a''.i-' War Department. and several bills
Z" Ian introduced each session with
,des OF furnishing the means by
s,ob volunteer army might be raised
"~ 80 Of war as an auxiliary of the
. Mar army and the organized militia.
- legislation Of an adequate sort exists
." re statute hooks. however
rs seriously contemplated in view
y. crisis in the Mexican situation to
pendng bill, introduced by Repre-
...,ive Hay, of Virginia, enacted dur
,bs present extra session. The sub
~' a,ss 70 have come before the Demo-
=. caucus. with a view To adopting
u,.ssure as emergency legislation. but
-, course was vetoed by the President
10 r,i,itary authorities are anxious for
.5souate law providing for volunteer
80 without waiting for a declaration
Of hostlities'
- which will be urged upon Congress.
90 main features Of a similar bill intro
- at the last Congress by Senator
y, PINT have been retained. Some i'm
.a,,ant changes. however. have been
10 one Of these changes the name
. tho organized militia" TO the or
-.-i,4d land militia" so that there shall
;. "a confusion with the naval militia.
fe 10
go shall be enlisted and maintained
..rv during the existence Of war. with
-, reference 10 a stipulated period OF
.,ps,ment BY this means there will be
!, avoidance OF the confusion and diff
-l.ss arising from having A period Of
.,Bstr,ent not sufficiently long.
instruction is also made between the
..s.lsr army. the organized militia while
!. he military service and the volun-
,..- forces IN respect 10 the eligibility
= any officer Of these branches for any
,,srt martial, court Of inquiry or mill
,.rv commission. The difficulties and
oossbll!ty Of injustice or defeat OF JUS
ire BY limiting the composition Of courts
90 the trial of militia or volunteer officers
~ Members OF those branches Is thus
,sv,ated. Special care has been taken In
3rafting the section providing for the
ynporary appointment Of regular officers
J. volunteer commissions and for their
.s.urn 10 their grade in the regular es-
Enlistment.
In the senate bill Il was provided that
-s,ired army officers on recruiting duty
should have increased rank. The Hay
In ontts this provision.
NEW LEGAL INTERPRETATION
The accounting officers Of the Treasury
ave recently adopted q strict interpre-
alton Of the law. which IS causing con-
sierabls inconvenience 10 officers OF the
amy. navy and marine corps. Ofhcers
i-s allowed so many rooms In accord
,,ce with their rank Hitherto. this al
lovsnce has been paid in money by the
3sbursing officers. whether or not the
Hcer actually occupied the number OF
SONS allowed him.
Now the Controller has decided that II
!, officer occupies one room he snail
.s,eive the heat and light allowance Tor
On. room. instead OF for four rooms
which is the allowance, for example IN
he case Of a captain. II was discovered
-sat officers on duty I'm Manila have
,ssn occupying single rooms at the Army
md Navy club. and that institution mas
zen collecting the heat and light allow
,,re for the full number Of rooms al
a,,ed 70 such officers. The Controller
Uncovered that II there were that many
,oo-os AZ the Manila club il would be
s,pdina Of from 800 10 800 apartments.
A,,s-tion has been called 10 this situa-
.,n and the War Department has been
,soues-ed 10 inform officers that they
must actually occupy the rooms aHot'e1
70 them by law or. when less number
q rooms Is occupied, they will receive
IN. heat and light allowance only LOT
sgch rooms
Tn. accounting officers have called on
The military personnel for explanation
a, sro+te~ phase OF the situation. II
las been found that quarters at army
POSTS contain In some instances ~
roors than the officer occupying '"e'i
k entitled u. while other officers are
drawing Communication for quarters. IL
Is evidently desired that where there j.
ar excess number Of rooms. SUCH rooms
stan be occupied. as far as may De- ~
CHER officers on duty at that pafticu4a4
post
This Amusement is regarded as i'm
Practicable in every respect. since euch
an Application OF the law wouIo reuuiio
an army officer who occupies DlHuH~
With his family 10 share those quarter
with another officer, and possibly Win
hs family The facilities at such ouA
,srs DO not usually lend themselves -
such al arrangement
The War Department insists that Ihe
distribution OF quarters at army posts i
matter which cannot be Teguialeu ~
Closely BY the law. or controlea WI"
s1actuess ~ the Controller OF inc
tor, but must be determined Dy inc
military authorities. who must be vested
With a reasonable discretion IN justice 10
the ofseer and in the interest Of the
goyernment
ORDERS 1ssUED.-The following army
ard navy orosrs have been Issued
ARMY.
MAJOR DANIEL J. CARR signal corps, -
hsvsd a. oTcer in charge, WashlnslO
Alaska military cable and telegraph
ten. September !. from Sestue 20 90,
Francisco. ss signal officer. Western Os-
=. parimsnt
MAJOR HARLEY 3. FERGUSON, Cops %
engineers report commanding ofhcer, zen
raj Department. for duty temp a.
dspsrfr'er, e. lveer vice Lieutenant Colo
nsl GEORGE 4. ZGNN. corps Of ngiheeIs.
-spisin WILLIAM T. BROWNE, FhIlPp.n0
scouts from general hospital. , or BaJ@'N'