The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-20
RUSH DRAFT ACT
so MILITIA MAY
co into MEXICO
Congress Asked to Consider
Army Bill Today.
Measure Will Allow Guards to
Cross the Border.
TO PROTECT AMERICAN COLONY
Made to Aid Citi-
zens at TampicO.
Only Thing Needed by q. s.
Troops Is Horses.

preparation has been made for the
protection of the big American colony
near Tampico. In numbers it exceeds
that in the ca pita1 but it is near the
sea and gunboats and light craft al
ready have been designated to offer
prompt aid. If necessary small land
ing parties would be sent to open a
way to the boats.
For the Mexico City problem, how
ever, no such solution presents itself.
1t was suggested to one official that
an expeditionary force might be
rushed to the relief of Americans
there. He replied that it would mean
moving an army of $4,000 or perhaps
100, 900 men and would take at least
two months to get them there.
Although practically no details con-
corning the mobilization of national
ment Monday, Acknowledgements of
the orders came from every governor,
with word that the troops have been
ordered under arms. In several in
stances a request that the state be al
lowed to send it's full contingent to the
border instead of the regiments or the
brigades called for, accompanied the
acknowledgment.
Governor Dunno of Illinois was one
of those who made this request.
Rush Militia Draft Law.
Secretary Baker announced during
the day that he had asked Representa-
tive Hay and Senator Chamberlain,
chairmen of the house and senate mil
ltary committees, to endeavOr to bring
about the adoption by congress of a
resolution putting into immediate eff
feet the militia draft provisions of the
new army organization bill, which will
become effective July l. The reSolu-
ton probably will be presented TODAY
in both houses.
With this information came also the
statement that the orders calling out
the state troops were so framed as to
make 1t possible to compel the pres
ence, at the border at least, of every
man enrolled. They were summoned
as national guardsmen, in which sta
tus they bear a distinct relation to the
FEDERAL government and by law are
the first source for obtaining volun-
teers who have no connection with
the states; they were also summoned
as members of the organized militia.
ana as such cannot be used beyond
the border, though available for any
duty within the United States.
Guardsmen Must Take Oath.
The draft provision of the new law
is applicable to every member of the
national guard or the national guard
reserve. 1t cannot be made retroac-
tive, however, and all national guards
men must voluntarily take the dual
oath of enlistment under the federal
ana state governments before they can
become subject to it's operation
1t is believed here that there will
be little objection on the part of most
OF the guardsmen. 1t is planned to
exercise the draft imme diately if con-
greSs adopts the resolution and state
soldiers who have taken the required
oath then will become federal soldiers.
with no connection whatever with the
national guard or the organized mill
=
in Mexico without further legal for
malities
On the other hand, those who NAV
refuse to take the oath and will not,
therefore, be subject to draft, will re-
main under federal control under the
portions of the old law, which still is
operative. They will be available for
guard duty along the border if for
nothing else, and army officers feel
the urgent need of keeping them ready
for that purpose.
Can Serve in Mexico
The resolution, it is understood
will authorize the president to employ
the armed forces of the United States
either in Mexico or along the border
for defensive purposes Such u pro-
vision would meet the objection of
those who hold that sufficiently
clear authorization has not been given
for the purposes of section of the
new army bill providing that drafting
OF national guardsmen can begin only
after proper authorization has been
given by congress for the EMPLOY ent
of forces other than the regular army.
Legal officers of the war department
desire to make certain that no COM
plication will arise later to block eff
fic;ent use of the state troops.
! Ample equipment of all kinds is on
hand at the various depots of the
army, Secretary Baker said, to COM
plete the outfits of all the guardsmen
called for service. A sufficient sup
ply of field artillery and machine guns
and enough ammunition for any fight
ing that might occur also is on hand.
Horses Are Needed.
The most pressing need will be
horses to mount all of the national
guard cavalry and supply gun teams
for the field batteries. The large ex-
cess held in army remount stables for
the needs of the regulars will fall
short of present needs by many thou
sands Some of the states have pur-
chased horses for their mounted
troops and artillery. in some cases the
cavalry uses privately owned mounts
and in many cases horses are hired
for drills. Officials are busy work
ing out the number that must be
supplied and the quickest way of pro-
curing them.
Another step taken at the war de-
partment today was preparation of or
ders calling out doctors of the medical
reServec orps to examine guardSmen
for muster into the federal service.
The department will insist upon the
high physical standards of the regular
army In some states that already is
required and there will be little de-
Law. In others there is reason to be-
heve, officers say, that men incapable
of arduous military service have been
enrolled for the purpose of keeping
the companies up to the minimum
strength necessary for federal recogni-
ton and participation in federal ap-