Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06

uSSSA. y MaNN derful improvement,
GSl although many COM
I - panies fell wofully
~ N,kS short Of the mark In
drill and discipline
there has been no falling off. the general char
acter and usefulness of officers is higher
plane, and there is no lack of solid enthusiasm.
But there has been one shortcoming where per-
lection was easy of attainment and might rea-
sonably have been expected. That was in the
matter of papers. Adjutant General Long
knows more about the failure to make proper
returns than any one else He has seen every
paper sent in and he has noted the absence of
the papers which ought to have been sent but
were not Responding to a request from The
STAR Col. Long contributes the following re-
marks on this interesting subject:
COL. LONGS REaIAEKs.
1.-THE District of Columbia National Guard is
progressive beyond all militia organizations
and is i'll the van In the advanced practice of
the military art. This IL mainly due to its in
dependence, the intelligence of its officers and
men, the hearty interest they have in tEeir
work and the fostering care of the commanding
general. In only one thing does there seem to
be an indifference. and that is in the failure to
promptly and properly render their reports
and returns, anu this merits the severest CEN
sure.
But there has been a very great improve
ment within the last year in this regard and
the records show apathy and unconcern only
among few of the company commanders. 1t
seems strange that these two or three COM
panies should, in other respects rank
among the very best in the command. Our
officers. you know, owe their elevation entirely
to individual merit, and not to popularity or
position. For they are tested by examination,
and ii not found wanting are commissioner d.
soldiers duties are manifold; he
should understand and attend to them
all and be neglectful of none
Ceremony and form, beautiful precision and
cadence are attractive and hold the interest.
but practically are of little use. The highest
efficiency OF soldier Is not alone precision
and accuracy at drill. The drill idea is fire.
quently carried to excess, to the exclusion of
other parts OF guardsmans bounden duty.
The company which exhibits the greatest pro-
ficicncy in all the essentials lis that which ranks
the highest and is rated as the best.
THE guardsman is attracted by the practical
and concerned only with the details necessary
to accomplish it. His limited time is naturally
devoted to the essentials. In other words he
wants to become good soldier in the shortest
possible time. with the least possible effort
We try to help him in this and no returns. re-
ports or papers generally are simpler briefer
or palmer than ours They have been prepared
with care and unnecessary detail has been
avoided. In fact their excellence has commended
them 10 many of the states and they have been
adopted as improvements on their own, so
there is no excuse for not properly and
promptly rendering them. The neglect and
inattention Of the few, therefore, can now be
construed only as positive disobedience of
orders, and such will doubtless be dealt with
Ill the future SO far rs property accountability
Is concerned, as well as In other important
matters.
headquarters is the repository for every
thing which relates to the personnel of the
guard. Here the record OF each officer and en-
listed man is kept-in fact, his complete mill
tary history is preserved. If company COM
mander fais to forward the records Gas indi-
Gated in reports and returns) of the enlisted
men of his company he neglects duty and
does an injustice to the man, of which the lat
ter has right to complain, for
ice, and desires to have it properly,
promptly and correctly recorded. In the reg
ular service the department officials are mex
orable, but not persistent. An officer who is
tardy IN this regard Is notified once, perhaps
twice. then-weii, a court-martial follows. 1t
seldom happens that "a false return Is rendered,
but Ii it Is, there is but one punishment under
the articles of war conviction, and that is the
cashlering of the officer.
When the reports reach headquarters they
are verified and filed for future reference. The
recruiting service Is here conducted and the
deaths discharges and desertions recorded
II the event OF the guard being called into
service the auditors or the pension Office may
call tor information to assist i'll the settlement
of claims. Rules for the keeping OF records,
forms for the making OF rolls aud returns &C.,
have Leen furnished each organization, and
they are easy OF comprehension and few III
number compared with those OF the War
Department. The printed direc.ionalOn each
indicate how they should be made ou6 There
Is no possible excuse for mistake, for delay, for
misapprehensiOn. They are orders and must
be obeyed."
JOLLY JACK TARs.
Perhaps there may be organized in the
District of Columbia naval reserve battalion;
perhaps there may not. Congress is to decide
and as no one knows mot even Congress ITSELF
what Congress Is going to do the matter NAV
| fairly be regarded as a tritle dubious. The idea
of naval reserve battalion first became a
tangible something in the minds of a number
Of Naval Academy graduates now in civil life,
many OF them employees in the Navy Depart
ment: They have no taste for military
militia work, but they would like
to take an active part in the organization of
that marine force which will be of inestmable
value when this country finds it necessary to
do a little fighting with foreign foe. Mr..
CIRCUITS bill provides that in addition to the
COMPANIES of volunteer militia now authorized
in the District of Columbia there may be
organized not more than four companies of
naval militia, which shall constitute battalion
to be known as The naval reserve battalion of
the National Guard of the District of Co.
lumbia.'
The officers of this battalion are to consist of
one commander and a staff to consist Of one
adj utant, with the rank of lieutenant COM
mander; one paymaster and one surgeon. each
with the rank OF lieutenant and the following
petty officers: One master-at-arms. one yeo-
man. one apothecary and one chief bugler.
Each company Is 10 consist of one lieutenant,
one junior lieutenant, two ensigns and not less
than two nor more than six crews, each crew
to consist Of not exceeding sixteen petty Off
GERS and men.
The President is authorized to assign an Off
Ger OF the navy to act adjutant of tine bat
talon, and provision is made for the issuance
OF all necessary stores by the Navy Depart
ment upon the requisition of the general COM
manding the District National Guard. Au-
thority is granted the Secretary Of the Navy to
provide such facilities for the practice and in
struction OF the battalion as he may deem ex-
pedient He may also detail such commits
stoned and petty officers of the navy (for SER
vice as instructors) as may to him seem proper
and necessary.
VETERANS TO THE FRONT AND CENTER.
When company A, third battalion, appears
on parade in regulation full dress uniform,
then some Of the other companies may wish
they had striven more strenuOusly to lead the
brigade in the matter of attendance. The &C.
companying letter needs no explanation:
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MILITIA,
WAsHINGroS, ID. c.. February 2, 1892
Maj I. d. HARRIsoS, third ba ttalion, D. G. n G.
Sir: Under Par. VI, G. o. %, series of 1890. I
offered "a suitable trophy to the company that