Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-04-21
Reor0dnizinG the Army

either house of congress is will
ing to admit that he is opposed
to Legislation for national pre-
paredness," there are wide diff
ferences Of opinion on the sub
ject among the senators and
representatives, says an eX-
change. The army bill that
passed the House. although de-
nounced as miserably inadequate
by some extremists, was de-
clared by other members, who
admit the need of preparation,
to be sufficient; yet members
who are avowed "pacifsts"
helped to pass it. In such cir
cumstances it is difficult to deter
mine how well it meets the de-
mands or the time.
In the event of war, it is GER
tain that we should not have
enough officers. Therefore the
government has already doubled
the number of naval cadets at
Annapolis, and a bill to double
the number of cadets at West
Point has already passed the
House, and is sure to become a
law. The same bill provides for
training officers by introducing
military instruction, with gov
eminent help, at every college in
the country that will accept the
plan.
The official plan for increasing
the navy will be ready by the
time the army bill is out of the
way. The senate has already
authorized the establishment of
a government armor-plate fac
tory. 1t was opposed on the
ground that it would probably
bring about the closing of the
private factories that now fur
nish armor and so diminish the
amount that could be got in an
emergency.
There are wide differences be-
tween the army bill that passed
the House and that which the
Senate is considering. The
House bill proposes a regular
army of a little more than one
hundred and forty thousand; the
Senate bill provides for one
hundred and ninety-fve thou
sand. The house bill puts the
militia of the states under ma
tional control. The Senate bill
gives the general government
less authority over the militia,
but it creates a territorial volun-
teer force to be under the direct
control of the President. Both
schemes permit the furloughing
of soldiers into the reserve, and
the filling of their places by the
enlistment of fresh recruits. In
that way there would always be
more trained men available in
the event of war than the actual
enlisted force.
The matter of "federalizing''
the militia. raises some interest.
ing constitutional questions. II
has heretofore been held that
the general government has ne
power over that force in time OF
peace, although it can prescribe
its organization and it's disci
pline. Moreover, the theory
has been that when called int
the service of the United State.
it was still militia, that its off
GERS should be appointed by stat,
governors, and that it could b,
employed only for the dutie.
specified in the constitution t,
execute the laws, to suppress in
surrection and to repel invasion
The House bill virtually over
rides every one of those restric
tions. 1t places the militia unde
the control of Washington il
time of peace; transforms it from
a state into a national fore
whenever it is taken into tn
national service; renders it liabl
to service abroad; and even give
the President power to appoin
officers to fill vacancies.
After the Senate has acted
the whole matter will be throw
into conference, and no one ca.
yet tell what will be the prov.
sions of the bill that will final
receive the signature of tn
PRESIDENT