Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-02-16
NATIONAL GUARDS
TO Be PUT UNDER
FEDERAL CONTROL
House Military Committee Will
Incorporate a Provision to
Eliminate Exclusive State
Dominance.
PLAN FOR 100000 MEN
Senate Drafting Regular army
Measure Which May In
crease Standing Force to
100000 Troops.

Washington, Feb. 14.--Ore result of
The resignation of Secretary of War
Garrison has been to clarity the con-
gressional atmosphere and center the
attention of upon the one
weak feature in the plan for the reor-
ganiZation and upbuilding of the ma
tlonal Guards. When the House mill
tafy Dll finally IS reported it is ex-
pec.ed 70 contain a provision for the
naturalization of the state militia.
Closer supervision of the national
guards by the war department.. greater
uniformity of system and federal pay
also VIII be features of the plan. 1t is
intended to provide for a guard of 4OO,-
600 mon and the regular army, accord
ing examinations may be increased 10
100000 men.
In substance, it is believed. the bills
VIII represent an effort to make effec-
tive virtually all of the plans of the
war department with the exception
that LIBERALIZATION of the national
guard will be sought as a substitute
for the continental army plan.
Final steps toward beginning the
drafting of the measures were taken
yesterday by both House and Senate
committees. Both will take up the
work Monday, n it is planned to
hold all day sessions whenever the
VI IIc TWO houses VIII permit.
Present indications are tina the
o bill will lay it's stress upon pro-
visions designed to f%ederalize the ma
tlonal guard. while the Senate COM
mlttees' main effort will be to go into
the regular army angles of prepared
to the president for his signature will
be a compromise. it is thought, each
house being willing to accept the
judgment of the other to a large ex-
tent in it's own particular field.
Plan to Rercruit 100000.
The House bill, it is expected, will
provide for payment of national
lations laid down by congress on a
basis sufficiently liberal to insure the
recruiting of approximately 400, 900
men, the ultimate size of the proposed
continental army. To make certain
the availability for federal use in time
who participate in this payment, the
plan contemplates authorizing the
president to draft them into a volun-
teer army.
Members of he committee are vir-
tually unanimous in the opinion that
congress has full constitutional au-
thorlty to enact such a measure, and
that 1T IAN be formulated as to with
stand attack through the courts.
The system of regulation oontem-
plated is of a broad character, designed
for the training and discipline of the
guardsmen in peace times i'm a way
that will insure efficient organization
for war service. ONLY the
administration of the law would be left
with the war department. 1t is pro-
posed to provide under these regula-
lions for the coordination of enlist
ment periods, physical standards, and
the examinations which officers ap-
pointed by state authorities must pass
for an adequate reserve system for the
guard n for standardized methods
OF recruiting 20 fill up the wastage of
regiments sent to the front.
Provision also will be made under
which the quota of troops to be fur
nlshed by each state and the propor-
ton OF artillery, cavalry, engineers,
signal corps and other special service
war department. Specific federal APP
preparations will be proposed for the
maintenance of these troops.
For 100000 Regulars.
The sentiment of the Senate commit
tee is not so well crystallized. 1t is in
dicated, however. that it's legislation
for the regular army will include sub
college as to organization, and that it
will be accompanied by a regular army
reserve act designed to build up and
maintain a force more than equal in
uuiiiuefS 10 tne IOrce with the cOlOrS.
Short enlistments with the colors and
The discharge into the reserve of any
man found inefficient by his officers
AZ the n of a years training, un-
ioubtedly will be among the plans pro-
posed to accomplish this end.
AS to the size of the standing army.
he men with the colors. it is indicated
nat the Senate bill will exceed the in
.rease OF 10000 men asked by Secretary
harrison, and many senator's will urge
ne full 100000 total strength sought by
he war college. Chairman Chamber
aln mas prepared a bill carrying out
he plan of 1912, devised by the war
college and which would provide a
force with the colors of approximate,v
100000 men.
1t was over this plan thai Secretary
Garrison and Senator Chamberlain
came into sharp disagreement last year
The chairman of the Senate commit
tee desired then that the war depart-
ment urge a complete reorganization
OF the army as suggested by the plan
OF 1872. Secretary Garrison, however.
presented a series Of bills designed to
strengthen what he conceived to be the
a spots In the army. and held
that tfese should be enacted. to he fol-
lowed gradually by other bills to carry
Compromise 10 Expected.
1t was reported without very definite
authority hat the House would he
willing to accept the Senate's regulor
army plan even on a basis of 100000
men with the colors. provided the Ma.
tionnl Guard liberalization plans wen.