The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-10

over. the President could, without con-
sulting any state authorities, remove
from the state every military organlza-
ton in it, leaving certain districts .ao-
solutely at the mercy or the laWless
class: or he could order the white
troops away, leaving the negro troops
a menace to the people.
According to the construction plac-
ed upon the bill by the War College
Board, Section of the act requires
the National Guard to be uniformed
according to the standard OF the regu-
lar army. If this construction be
adopted. the law will take away from
those organizations In the country nav
ing and using a distinctive uniform the
right to continue its use. In great
many instances, this will be a severe
If not a fatal blow.
Again, the construction of the law
by this board requires that either all
or none of the militia of a given state
shall become subject to the bill In
other words, the state must entirely
forego the right to organize and main
tain troops composed of enlisted men
in order to share any benefits derIvable
under the Dick bill. 1t seems to me
to be of the greatest Importance to
the state of Georgia, under existing
conditions, that there be an organized
force subject only to the orders Of the
chief executive and upon which he can
at all times rely, and of which he can
not be deprived at the will of the Pres
ident.
Could Disband the Military.
again. under Section 3 of the act,
the President may by order fix the
minimum number of enlisted men in
each company, troop, battery, signal
corps, engineer corps and hospital
corps Under this provision the Presi-
dent can fix the minimum so high as
to result in the disarmament OF every
organization. The War College Board
has already recommended a minimum
of 100 enlisted men for companies of
coast artillery, and sixty-flVe for cav
airy and infantry. This strength can
not be maintained, and If the state
troops accept the provisions OF the
Dick bill, those organization finding
il impossible to maintain the minimum
will be disbanded.
THE War College Board also recon-
mends that the Secretary of War pre-
scribe for recruits In the organized
militia. at the time of their enlistment,
the physical recruiting standard
adopted for the regular army, except
as to the age limit, or suitable and
uniform modification thereof There
are a great many men in the state
service who do not measure up to the
physical requirements of the regular
army, but who are sufficiently strong
for the perfornIan OF all duties like
~ to be imposed upon them in the
state service, and the enforcement OF
any such regulation would render re-
cruitinR so difficult, particularly in Sa-
vannah. where an unusual number of
military organizations exist, that 1t
will be found almost, If not quite, inn
possible to secure the necessary men.
Robbed of Time-HOnOPed Rights.
Another objection to the Dick bill.
and a serious one to a great many or
9anizations, is the fact that nearly all
the old organizations of the country
will have to surrender all the special
rights and privileges now enjoyed by
them. Only those organizations which
have been in continuous existence from
May g. 1922. to Jan. 81, 1903, Shall be
allowed to retain their accustomed
privileges This is Of no little impor-
lance to Savannah. where there are
several old organizations which would
be deprived of privileges earned by
more than a century of service.
Another feature Of the bill which IL
distastcfui 10 me. and would be more
so II / were an enlisted man, IA that
which subjects a member of the mill
tia to court-martial and punishment at
the hands OF a court composed Of such
militia officers as the President sees At
to appoint Should an organization be
called out by the President under any
conditions, the failure OF a member Of
that orgs nization 10 respond and 10
present himself for muster into the
service Of the United States would SUBJ
feet him 10 court martial and punish
naent by q court, consisting OF officers
Of the militia Of Texas, California. Min
nesOta or Maine. who may be selected
BY the President.
An UBwaFranted sacriaee.
There are many msn now IN the
service who are perfectly willing "
serve the United states IN case u
var and % DO such police duty - may