Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-02-17
NATIONAL GUARDS
TO Be PUT UNDER
FEDERAL CONTROL
House Military Committee Will
incorporate a Provision to
Eliminate Exclusive State
Dominance.
IPLAN FOR 100000 MEN
Senate Drafting Regular Army
Measure Which May In
crease Standing Force to
100000 Troops.

Washington, Feb. 14.--One result of,
The resignation OF Secretary of War
gressional atmosphere and center the
attention of congress upon the one
weak feature in the plan for the rcor-
ganization and u%pbuilding of the ma
tlonal guards. When the House mill
tary bin finally IS reported ii is ex-
pected to contain q 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 will be features OF the plan. 1t Is
intended to provide for a guard Of 40O.-
0oo men and the regular army, accord
ing to intimations may be increased TO
250. 000 men.
In substance. it is believed. the bills
will represent an effort to make effec-
tive Virtually all OF the plans Of tho
war department with the exception
guard will be sought as q 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 lake up tha
work Monday and it is planned to
hold all day sessions whenever the
business of the two houses will permit.
Present indications are that tho
House bill will lay it's stress upon pro-
visions designed to federalize the ma
tionai guard. while the Senate COM
mittees' main effort will be to go into
the regular army angles of prepared
ness plans. The final measures sent
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 en-
tent IN Its W 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 c~onternplates authorizing the
president to draft them into a volun-
teer army.
Members of the committee are vir-
tualiy unanimous in the opinion that
congress has full constitutional au-
thorlty to mac such a measure, and
that 1T can be formulated as to with
stand any attack through the courts.
n system of regulation contem-
plated is of a broad character. designed
for the training and discipline of the
that will insure efficient organization
for volunteer war service. Only the
administration of the law would be left
with the war department.. 1t is pro-
posed to provide under these regula-
ions 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 and for standardized methods
or 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
nished by each state and the propo
ton OF artillery. cavalry. engineers,
signal corps and ether special service
troops would be determined by the
war department. Specific federal ap-
preparations will be proposed for the
maintenance OF these troops.
For 100000 Regulars.
The sentiment of the Senate commit
tee is not so wei crystallized. 1t is in
dicated. however. that it's legislation
for the regular army will include sub
stantially all Of the plans of the war
college as to organization. and that it
viii be accompanied by a regular army
reserve act designed to build I'D and
maintain a force more than equal in
numbers to the force with the colors.
Short enlistlnents with the colors and
the discharge into the reserve of any
man found inefficient by his officers
at the end OF a years training. un-
Iouhtedly will be anon the plans pro-
posed to accomplish this end.
AS to the size OF the standing army.
the men with the colors, it is indicat ted
that h Senate bill will exceed the in
:rease OF 10000 men asked by Secretary
Harrison. and many senator's will urge
the full 100000 total strength sought BY
III war college. Chairman Chamber
lain has prepared a bill carrying out
the plan OF 1912. devised by the wal
college and which would provide a
force with the colors of approximately
100000 men.
1t was over this plan that 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 1912. Secretary Garrison, however.
presented a series Of bills designed to
strengthen what he conceived to be the
weakest spots In he army, and held
hat these should be enacted, to be fol-
lowed gradually by other bills to carry
out the full plan.
Compounds 10 Expected.
1t was reported without very definite
(! authority that the House would be
| willing to accept the Senate's regular
army plan even on IA basis of zoo. 900
men with the colors. provided the Ma
tional Guard liberalization plans wen,
through.
In addition to plans already outlined
1t is thought there viii be provided In
the bills proposed. or in a companion
measure, a definite plan for federal mos
biiization In time OF war; behind the
fighting lines. Reserves Of civilian
aties to military Operations. such AZ
!! railroad men. automobile drivers and
merchandising. telegraphers. telephone
engineers and operators. n the thous-
| and and one men of other civil occu-
! eaiions necessary TO an army. pr0ba-
bly, will be formed. the task being made