The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-04-22
,assa &c of the Dick law at the time

| passage of the Dick law at the time
and although II has been roundly
denounced since on account of the
use of militiamen in strikes and la
Dor troubles, the far-reaching char
acter of the law has not been real
lied by the public generally.
1t will be surprising to the ordi-
nary man in the street to know,
therefore, that he may be summon
ed at moments notice to join the
militia; that he Is, in fact, already a
reserve militiaman and as such sub
ject to immediate call by the Presi-+
dent for service, either within or
without the territory of the United
| Statest
Not only that, but Section pro-
vides drastic penalties for failures
to obey such summons. After pro-
viding that members of the militia,
! when called out by the President,
shall be mustered into the service
of the United States and shall thus
become regular soldiers without
further enlistment and without fur
Their medical examination previous
to such muster" this section says
that any officer or enlisted man of
the militia who shall refuse or neg
lect to present himself for muster,
upon being called forthwith as here
in prescribed. shall be subject to-
trial by court-martial and shall be
punished as such court-martial may
direct"
In time of war the punishment
could thus extend to death
Section ., in effect, makes regu-
lar soldiers of the militia men when
thus called into the service of the
United States. 1t says that the mi
litia. when called into the actual
service of the United States, shall be
subject to the same rules and arti-
Giles OF war as the regular troops of
the United States"
Violation of the articles of war is
about the most serious thing that
could happen to anybody. Many of
the penalties prescribed for such
violations call for death in war time
and other penalties are very severe. |
There is another act of Congress
entitled IAN act to provide for tenn
porarily increasing the military es-
adjustment of the United States in
time of war;" the act of zoos, by
which a volunteer army could be
raised But the failure of men to
volunteer might very readily be fol- !
lowed by the enforced enlistment of
citizens under the Dick militia law
without the necessity of Congress
passing special act authorizing
conscriptions. The Dick law for all
practical purposes is itself con-
scription act.
Kentucky Will BE Ready.
Lexington, Ky, April 2O.-Adju-
tant General ]. Tandy Ellis. when
informed tonight of the possibility
OF Kentucky having to furnish g.
500 fighting MEN to back up inva-
sion in Mexico. should the step be
taken, said at present there is but
one brigade in the State, consisting
of the First. Second and Third Reg
iments. composed of about 1000
men.
Asked if he believed Kentucky
would do her part If eventualities
called for show of patriotism. Gen.
Ellis said
II am certain our boys would do
their part They have always done
it in the past, and this present row.
/ feel certain. would prove no ex-
ception."
During the Civil War. Union
forces resorted to eonscriptian, al
though Kentucky was avowedly
neutral ground. and several thou
sand men were drafted and forced
to go to war. Had conditions been
different, it is said, and the question
of duty to nag been the only consid-
volunteers in necessary
would have been enlisted
long before the CONSUMPTION move