The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-01
WILL CONVERT MILITIA
INTO VOLUNTEER FORCE
Provisions of New Army Bill Give
Increased Power to
President.
TO BE USED ONLY IN CASE OF WAR
omcers OF Organizations Must lie
Nominated by Chief Executive mud
Confirmed by Senate.

Especial to Tho limos Dispatch
Washington. April 30.--1n the event
that efforts being made to arbitrate the
ed States and Mexico fall. as 1t Is gen.
orally believed here they Will. Presi-
dent Wilson will In all probability call
Upon Congress to authorize him to call
out the volunteer force. converting the
state militia Into q volunteer force,
and will at the same time call tho state
militia into active service. Tho diff
florence between the volunteer forco
and the State militia Ia not generally
understood. and hundreds OF letters
reach Washington daily asking for cs-
plantations of the effect of tho new
volunteer bill passed last Saturday.
Tho chief provisions of the bill arc
those placing the volunteer forces on
the same footing with the regular army
with respect to pay. allowance and PEN
sions. making them subject to all the
regular army regulations, and making
their officers subject to transfer from
ono regiment to another at tho Will OF
tho President
Under the new bill the President Is
able 10 convert the militia into n VOL
of war or while wRr Is imminent, and
only after he is authorized by Con-
grees to raise such n force. Thus. al
though war Is now imminent tho Presi-
dent cannot organize the volunteer
force until authorized to do so by Con-
gress.
Before tho State militia companies or
regiments can enter the volunteer force
they must be enlisted up to three
strength Of any company. troop or bat
terry. Each man and officer must then
enlist for four-year term. taking
the same oath as required by the rcgu-
lar army. but all Will be mustered out
as soon as practicable after tho Presi-
dent issues proclamation announcing
the termination OF tho war, or tho pnss-
irg OF the imminenco Of war.
Nomination OF Officers.
Before the officers OF the militia or
ganizations can be placed In their re-
spectivc positions in tho volunteer
force. they must go through the same
course as is necessary In appointment
of postrnastcrs or other Federal Of
liccro, being nominated by tho Presi-
dent and confirmed by the Senate.
They are thereafter at the command
of the Secretary of War, and the COL
onel of the Second Virginia Regiment,
or First North Carolina Regiment
can be transferred to command a
Vermont or Louisiana regiment. and
an officer OF the regular army. n grad
uatc of West Point, or an officer pro-
noted from the ranks placed in their
stead. When officers are commissioned
they will he commissioned as officers
OF the volunteer forces. and not rs an
officer Of any particular regiment or
company.
The bill authorizes the President to
organize the volunteer forces into
hr!gadcs or divisions, or such higher
units as he may think necessary, and
provides that all STATS shall be COM
posed OF tho same officers as are au-
thorizod by the regular army regula-
lions.
II is provided that regular officers
of tho army may be placed as officers
in the volunteer force. but STIMULATES
that 10 more than four regular army
officers shall hold commissions In any
one regiment of volunteer infantry
cavalry, coast artillery or field artil-
lery. and not to exceed one officer OF
the regular army in any one battalion
of volunteer engineers or signal troops
or battalion OF field artillery.
G.. II. NJ