Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-18
THE MILITARY BILL
Members of the C. N. G. Are Yet
 Discussing It
COL SUCKERS OPINION OF IT.

ne IS Ill lNOf or Il Ten Lays Ln-
 campment-At Present Much of the
 Time Is Lost In Getting Ready and
 In Breaking Camp.
 The men who stand high in local militia circles are coming out strongly III favor of the military reform bill in- troduced ill the state legislature last Friday by Elr Baldwin of Beacon Falls. says the New Haven Palladium The clauses which are most often dis- cusSel and which are considered espe- c-al!y good ale the second, sixth and eighth.
 The first of these is the one which provides that one of the present in fantry regiments may be changed to heavy artillery. The artillery is one of the weak points in the Connecticut National Guard. This is not the fault o1 the men in this branch of the ser vice. bur Of their equipment The guns used by the various batteries are, to say the least, of a slightly ancient model and the formation of q new resi- 1nent with modern equipment is one of the things which are especially desir- ouS in the opinion of military men.
 The sixth clause provides thar the governor may, if he desires. order the National Guard into camp for ten days instead of six. Colonel T. H. Sucher said yesterday. ill talking with Psl- laHuIn reporter about this particular point: "Ihere is no question but that ten days encampment of the Nation al Guard would be q grand good thing. lnder the present arrangement Jher, are only three days in which any real work can De done or inspection given.
 The first day at camp is taken up With the work nf Saj rlin,r h.. companies. another day is given mp to ceremonies and the last day is occupied with breaking camp. With l ten days camp there would remain q gool solid weeks work. even with these three days left out. The main difficulty to found in the proposed plan. however. is the ability of the enlisted men to stay away from their work for so long q time. No one but the. captains of the various companies realize how hard it is to get all their company to attend"
 It was learned from other parties in terested in the state militia that this task Of attempting to turn out 3 full company for the camp Is almost q su- periluman one. ln many cases several men belonging to the various military offices work ill the same office or lac tory. and. While 1t would be easy enough for one man to obtain the rp- ouired vacation, it is impossible for them all to go
 As the military laws of the state pro- vide a fine of S. q day for unexcused absences from the encampment. and as excuses which will be accepted can be numbered on the fingers of one hand. 1t can readily be seen that the majori- 1y of the men exert every effort to at tend the camp. Oftentimes it becomes necessary for tile commanding officer to write or call in person on the heads of the concerns by which his men are employed before the desired permission can be obtained.
 If all this trouble Is necessary to turn out company for a six-day en- campment.' said q member Of one of the companies. think of what we would have tn do to get the men out for ten days
 The other clause which is meeting With considerable favor is the one which advocates the changing of the two companies of the Governors Horse Guards into two troops of cavalry. The members of the Second company are almost unanimous in favor Of such q change. and Major Ludington says that the First company in Hartford are of the same mind.
 Major Ludin@ton himself is strongly i'll favor of the change. He said last nighi: Il thiI.k il would be of great benri't to 'h" Horse Guard if it was connected with the National Guard. For orc thing, we would get the weeks experience at Mantle, which would be q great help. At present. the com rany gets but two days mounted drill q year. one day ill the spring and one in the ful.
 When asked if he thought that tha change would result in the erection of a special armOry for the cavalry which would be provided with riding hall. the major replied that possibly that would come later on. It would materially assist that branch of the service if they were provided with an armory.
 Some of the other clauses in the bill ar" meeting with more opposition in military circles. but tho general inn NresSlon seems 10 prevail that the pas sage of the bill will matnrialIv ba1p