The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-03-02
REGULAR ARMY OF $4,000.
Bill Provides for Federalized Nation
al Guard.

on the general terms of bill it eX-
poets to get before the house in ten
days providing for regular army
with an authorized peace strength of
$4,000 men; a federalized National
Guard which would reach fixed min
imum strength of 424, 900 in five
years; adequate reserve systems for
both of these forces, and organlza-
ton of civilian training camps, with
wide discretion reposed in the war
department as to the terms of enlist
ment, training and government.
Members of both the house and
senate military committees frankly
admitted today that they had doubts
whether a requisite force could be en-
listed in the National Guard, even un-
der the proposed federal pay and
regulation provision, and a growing
tendency to provide for federal
army reserve in addition to the regu-
lar army and federalized National
Guard was manifest in both commit
tees. Members said they favored
practical test of the possibility of
forming a federal volunteer army in
neace times on lines somewhat SINH
lar to the continental army plan. The
apparent intention to abandon the
continental project wholly was one
of the causes leading up to the resig-
nation of Secretary Garrison.
Training Camps.
The senate committee has agreed
tentatively to plan under which
training camps would be authorized
in every congressional district where
sufficient men volunteered for train
ing under an obligation for war SER
vice. The maximum force to be thus
raised in any district would be bat
talon, or substantially the same num-
Der as proposed for the first year of
the Garrison continental army plan.
The camps would be under command
of full compliments Of regular army
i officers.
! This tentative plan is in addition
the regular army and the federaliz-
Ed National Guard proposals, and is
intended to reach men who would not
he benefited in either of y these ser
vices.
Representative Kahn, who has ad-
yocated an extension of the business
mems camps to all classes of citizens
who would not enlist in the regulars
or the National Guard, said today
that with 10000 men already enroll
ed for extensive military training this
summer, without Government aid, he
had received assurances that fully
that ttha
100000 would be available next year
under his plan.
As a Compromise.
The house committee arrived at it's
regular army figures today as COM
promise after suggestions of peace
strength of 100000, 100000 and
10000 had been voted down by mar
rowing margin. A non-partlsan
vote finally fixed upon $4,000, or
1900 more than recommended by the
war department, with provision de-
signed to allow percentage of over
enlistment in order to maintain that
strength at all times. With this pro-
vision the total strength authorized
would be $4,000. To provide Of
fcers to carry out work of instruction
at schools, among militia regiments
and for other special duties, 1000
additional men in the commissioned
personnel was agreed upon, as
against an increase of 1856, as pro-
posed by the war department.
The increases over the department
figures would be in field and coast ar
tillery, the former being doubled
over it's present strength. \ total OF
twelve regiments or 10S batteries is
contemplated The coast artillery
would be increased to point where
regulars to man all mine and torpe-
do defences and one-half the guns in
fixed Notifications would be available
with an additional complement to
man the proposed mobile guns to be
aeSed.,
AS to National Guard.
The bill also provides that Ma
tional Guard officer from each or
ganization be detailed to attend the
regular army service schools, receiv-
ing the pay of his rank in the reg'l-
lar army while on such duty. 1t con-
templates authorizing the president
to draft the guard into the federal
service at any time he deems best,
without waiting specific authority of
congress, and would remove all re-
strictions on use of the force out