Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1898 — THE WAR DEPARTMENT BILL. [ARTICLE]

THE WAR DEPARTMENT BILL.

Provides In Time of War for a Re»ular and Volunteer Army. Washington, April 20. The war department bill to provide for temporarily increasing the military establishment in time of war was sent Tuesday to Chairman Hull, of the house military affairs committee, and Senator Hawley, the chairman of a similar committee in the senate / The measure provides that in time of war the army is to consist of two branches, the regular and the volunteer army, the latter to be maintained only during the existence of war or while war is Imminent, and is to be raised and organized only after congress authorizes it. All enlistments for the volunteer army are to be for three years

unless sooner terminated. All the regimental and company officers of the volunteer army are to be appointed by the president, upon the recommendations of the governors of the states in which their respective organizations are raised. Concerning the national guard, it is provided that when the members of any company or regiment of the organised militia shall enlist in the volunteer army in a body, as such company or regiment, the regimental and company officers in service with the militia organization thus enlisting may be appointed by the president, subject to an examination as to fitness and capacity, to be officers of corresponding grades in the same organization when It is received in the service as a part of the volunteer army. The troops in time of war, whether belonging to the regular or volunteer army or to the militia, are to be organized into divisions of three brigades, each brigade to be composed of three or more regiments, and when three or more divisions are assembled in the same army the president Is to organize them Into army corps, each corps to consist of not more than three divisions. The president is to appoint in the volunteer army not exceeding one major general for each organized army corps and division, and one brigadier general for each brigade, to be selected from the regular or volunteer army or the militia. A War Loan. Plans for u war revenue bill and for a popular war loan of $100,000,000 have been prepared. It is said that congress will also be asked to authorize the issue of $400,000,000 three per cent, coin bonds, to run 20 years.