Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-04
Adjutant General Love Awaiting Of
fetal Notice of Designation.
CAPT. ROBBINS SERVING IN bis STEAD
Matters Discussed at Meeting Held
Wednesday Evening.
RETIREMENT OF SERVICE

18th United states infantry, from uuty us
acting adjutant general of the militia The
same order assigned Capt. Alfred P. Rob-
bins aid-de-camp, District of Columbia MI
litia, as acting adjutant general Lieut.
Love of the regular army, who has been
selected to fill the Office until he Is In con-
dition to return to his regiment in the Phil
ippines, has visited headquarters, but Is
not yet in receipt of directions from the
War Department to report to Gen Harrles
for duty Capt. Eastman left this city
Thursday evening for New York. whence
he will sail with the 47th Infantry for
Manila
In view of the changes which have taken
place at headquarters, as cited in the fore
going, the transaction Of official military
business has been practically at stand
still No orders have been issued, and 1t
has been out of the question to take action
on papers that have reached the END OF
their course through military channels
In addition, the customary quiet prevailed
as an aftermath Of the large turnout the
three closing days of last week III coiihec
ton with the annual rifle competition at
the Ordway range. Capt. Robbins Will at
once take hold of business in the ad1utanI
generals office and dispose of accumulated
mail, in order that all may be clear salilns
for Lieut.. Love when he reports for duty
OF considerable Importance to the bril-
gade was the meeting at headquarters
Wednesday evening last of the officers Of
the general staff, the regimental STATS and
the battalion commanders. Gen. Harries
explained that the holding Of the annual
Inspection and muster, as conducted recent
ly with the annual rifle practice, was an
experiment pure arS simple, The expert
f,il 10
that next year the encampment OF the
brigade will be heightened from eight or
nine days, as has been the custom here
tofore, to twelve days. The shorter ti ,,ae
was decided on in order that opportunities
might be afforded for the practice and In
spection at the range.
The plan to be followed provides that
the rifle practice and the inspection ard
the encampnent. An inspection in full
dress in the armory may also be ordered
during the winter months During the dis
cussion along this line It was practically
determined that regimental and battalion
commanders shall inspect their respective
at frequent intervals. Refer
ring to the plan Of extending the period or
the encampment. Gen. Harries stated that
of the brigade for all duty performed
would so far as he could tell, in all prob
ability be adopted. 1t was explained that
the neglect, If 1t might be termed such, in
the rife practice, while in camp heretofore,
was in keeping with the principle that
nothing should be attempted while in camp
that could be accomplished elsewhere.
Oath of Enlistment.
A subject which called forth long and
earnest discussion at the meeting was that
involving the administering of the oath of
enlistment to recruits 1t was declared
that very little emphasis or solemnity Is
accorded in the majority Of the COM
mands to this requirement According to
the practice that has been in vogue when
man is elected to membership In any COM
pany some officer hastily reads the oath
and the matter is at an end. radical
change has been decided on, and 1t must be
closely followed. The recruit Is to be
given an emphatic understanding that the
oath Of enlistment means something. Be
fore a man can enter the guard the duties
and responsibilities which Will devolve
upon him as member will be fully ex-
planned. Knowing Just what Is expected of
him, he will then be given an opportunity
to think the matter over.
Although not finally decided. the admin
istering Of the oath hereafter will probably
be In connection with regimental assembly
One evening each month will be set aside
for an assembly of each regiment. The re-
cruits of the several companies of the regi-
ment will be brought together at that time
and In the presence Of the entire command
and under the Inspiration Of the colors the
oath will be impressvely read.
Lieutenant Colonel Ross took occasion to
remark that the LIST Battalion had always
made a practice Of giving as much impress
siveness as possible to the ceremony of ad-
ministering the oath Of enlistment The
custom, he said, has been to usher in the
new men at the regular monthly meetings
ner contemplated hereafter for the other
organizations Of the brigade.
Pride in Organization.
Some little time was devoted to remarks
organization pride. Attention was
called to the fact that in certain regiments
of the National Guard of the state of New
York the percentage of attendance at regu-
lar drill and assembly has never fallen be-
low 80 per cent and that, In order to be
present at annual inspection, the members
of the 1th New York Regiment have Jour-
neyed across the continent Every possible
effort is to be made to have the members
of the local brigade seriously Interested in
their work, and approximate. as nearly as
may be possible. the enviable conditions
that exist In the New York military Or
CARNATIONS The men Of the several COM
panics are not to be called on for duty I'M
to be made to lose time from their employ.
ment through the obedience of orders is
sued. but never carried into effect.
General Harries suggested that perhaps
battalion and regimental commanders are
interested in the companies of their
commands as they might be. He urged
that SUCH ofhcerS confer frequently with
company commanders and become familiar
with Just what is going on and what meth
DDS are pursued. This course he Thought
would cause better understanding ali
around.
dissertation on tloyalty was given by
the commanding general. He called atten
ton to the fact that every officer and man
of the brigade should be working for the
success of the whole organization. The en-
tire community, he said, was entitled to
unqualified loyalty, particularly of every
officer. If that loyalty cannot be given
without reserve it was suggested, such off,
Ger should tender his resignation forthwith.
To Attract Enlisted Men.
In line with the purpose to add to the In
terest of the enlisted men. General Harries
directed the regimental commanders to n.;.-
coed Win arrangements for holding at least
Two social functions during the winter.
The general promised to contribute to the
success Of these gatherings by providing
the music. He will probably see to It that
the brigade band Is In attendance. The
functions will, 1t is thought, assume the
form of regimental dress parades, to he
followed by dancing
Colonel Urell announced that in Iustfce
to the brigade he felt it to be his dutv tn
say that the showing Of the representa-
tives of the District National Guard in the
Dewey parade in New York was most cred
table. General Harries added that Gov
u