Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-04-22
VIRGINIA FORCES READY.
Ali Citizens Between Eighteen And
Forty-fve Subject to Duty.

richmond, va Aplii "' -
General Sale said yesterday that IT
yrs clear to him that with the con-
sent of the Governor, when call Is
issued, the Virginia troops WOULD be
available for service at any point. He
also declared that if there was any
question, among the officers of the war
Department that he was confI1ent
that the Virginia militia, as body,
would volunteer for service, either
within or beyond the borders OF the
United States. The question OF ac-
ceptanee, according To General SALE
would rest with the officers who would
have to pass on the men.
General Sale said that there is at
this time available for field service
in this State not less than 2,675 men,
in all branches of the service. He SAID
that in case there should be call for
100000 men THAT about double tins
number would be taken from Virginia.
at is rather remarkable thing"
Said Gen. Sale, "that there is COM
ing to this Office rrpre requests for as
Segment to service than we can pos
sibly handle. They are coming by
personal calls by telephone, by tele-
gram, by mail. The men are ready to
engage for service. There will not
be the least trouble in getting double
the number of men that Virginia
might be called on to furnish, many
of them with military experience and
many of them graduates of the Vir-
ginia Military Institute"
General Sale was greatly pleased at
this, and all the applications are be-
ing filed away for future reference.
Governor Stuart, said General Sale,
in case there is call for troops, would
get the call and it would be trans
mitted through regular channels.
When the call comes, if it does, it will
be at once promulgated and sent to
the officers of the various commands.
The Governor will have to designate
the point of mbbifization land that
would most Dikely be Richmond, where
the railroads converge and where ade-
quate camp facilities are at han1.
Following IS the State law declar-
ing who compose the militia OF the
State, and the federal law regulating
the matter of service:
Section 300. First, the militia OF
this state shall consist of all able
bodied male persons between the ages
of eighteen and forty-five years, ex-
cept such persons as may be exempt
ed by the laws of the United States
or of this State; but those who belong
to religious societies whose tenets for
BIZ the carrying of arms shall not be
compelled to do so; provided, they pay
an equivalent for personal service.
Under the provisions of the Dick
bill, pertaining to the militia organi-
cations of the States, there is this
provision: &i@E
Article l, Paragraph 1S, Section 5.
That whenever the President calls
forth the organized militia of any
State, Territory, or the District of Co.
lumbia, to be employed in the military
service of the United State, he must
specify in his cali the period for which
such service is required, and the MI
litia so called shall continue to serve
during the term so specified, either
within or without the territory of t
United States, unless sooner relieved.
by or5er of the President. Provided,
that no commissioned officer or eenlist-
ed man shall be held to service be-
yont the time of his existing commits,
sion or enlistment.
Thus it win be seen that the MI
litia of Virginia, in case there IS CALI
for troops will be eligible for service
It any point to which they may be. or
dered after the President has called on
the Governor of Virginia for such
troops.
This point has been in dispute for
some time, but the military laws above
quoted would seem to settle the ma
ter for all time and beyond dispute.
When the question of the pay of Of
GERS was debated in Congress the
question of the eligibility or the lia
bility of state commands was refer
red to, but the debaters could not ex
actly get clear of the plain provisions
of the law.