Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-28
War College Boards Report
on the Militia Law.
AS TO LOCAL BRIGADE
PERMANENT CAMP AND FIELD
MANEUVERs ON PROGRAM.
Rifle Practice Matters of Interest-Na-
tional Trophy Competition-Fourth
Battalion Officers Club.

The members of the District of Columbia
National Guard. officers and enlisted men
alike, manifested deep interest in the pas
sage of the act approved January Il last
to promote the efficiency OF the milida-pop-
ularly known as the Dick militia law. The
report submitted to the Secretary of War
few days ago by the Army War College
board upon the subject of rules and regu-
lations for putting into operation the new
law was awaited with more or less concern
by the local citizen soldlery. Those portions
of the report which are Of particular mo-
ment to the District national guardsmen
are presented herewith.
1t is explained that in the consideration
which 1t has given to the subject the Army
War College was guided by what seemed
to it to be the manifest intent of the law, to
secure, not only body of troops which, al
though organized under the laws of the
states. territories and the District of CO.
lumbia. shall be available under the condi-
lions specified in the law for the service of
the United States, but also one which shall,
In order that 1t may return fair equiva-
lent for the compensation 1t will have re-
ceived from the federal government, con-
form as nearly as practicable to the fed
eral standard as shown In the organiZa-
tions. armament, uniform, instruction and
discipline of the regular army.
Expected to Conform Rapidly.
Until January 81, 1908, it is pointed out.
the organized militia may adopt 'the or
ganization, armament and discipline of the
regular and volunteer armies or not, as
It may see fit; until that date the "organi-
cation, armament and discipline" are the
standard to which the organized militia is
expected to conform as rapidly as practi-
cable; on that date, in the opinion of the
board, the standard must be realized and
thereafter becomes requirement. 1t IS
to be understood that the board, it says,
gives a reasonably wide Interpretation to
the requirement that the organized militia
shall attain to the standard of the regular
army. 1T can do so in organization, arma-
ment and uniform adds the board. In
other respects it can only conform to the
standard that is to say model itself upon
1t to the best of its ability. After the
lapse of five years conformity in organiza-
ton Will not permit an eight or ten-com
pany regiment. but it will permit separate
companies having the standard organza-
ton, including only the authorized number
of officers
Although five years are allowed the or
ganized militia to attain to the standard
prescribed. the law does not contemplate
that that period shall elapse before a state
territory or the District of Columbia,
which, In the meanwhile, shall have en-
joyed the benefits of the act shall take
the reasonable steps toward the attain
ment of the standard. The federal govern
ment has already begun to provide the
money necessary to put the law into eff
fect. Money already appropriated is for
the purpose of enabling the organized mill
Tia to conform to one part of the stand
ard set by the regular army, its 'arma-
ment. Further allotments of federal
money must be for the general purpose of
completing this armament and attaining
10 the other two requisites of the federal
standard. the organization and discipline
Ia n
the word discipline in section of the act
as meaning, in general a compliance with
military laws, including the articles of
war, regulations, orders and customs of
the service. As regulations and orders
require the soldiers to be uniformed ac-
cording to the standard, to be properly
drilled and instructed, all these things are
Included in the meaning of the word dis
clpllne. so far as an organized militia may
De reasonably expected to conform to them
Assuming such to be the general meaning
OF the word discipline 1t follows that all
money paid out under this act is for the
purpose of securing for the organized mil
itia the organization, the armament and
the discipline of the regular army"
Cannot Prescribe an Examination.
Section of the Constitution. which vests
in Congress the power to provide for or
ganizlng, arming and disciplining the mill
tia. distinctly reserves to the states "the
appointment of the officers and the au-
thority Of training the militia according to
the discipline prescribed by Congress" The
board thinks, therefore, that the War De-
partment cannot. against the will of the
states. prescribe an examination for the
appointment or promotion of officers of the
militia.
II would seem right, according to the
BOARD. for the Secretary of War to REQUIRE
each state which claims the benefit of the
formally declare tS into To
within the five years allowed. The law
makes no provision for the coercion of any
state or territory which may refuse to con-
form. but in case of declaration to that
fnect the Secretary OF War may ignore it in
the allotment of the annual appropriation
The board expresses the belief that the
president should now fix, by order the
minimum enlisted strength OF the several
organizations as is now fixed by law for
corresponding organizations of the regular
army. otherwise, II says, there may be a
temptation to unnecessarily multiply regi-
mental organizations merely to secure to Of
ncers the pay, etc. accruing to them under
rertain sections OF the law. 1t therefore
recommends the following minimum or
ganizations as fixed by the act of February
z, 1901: Company of Infantry first SER
seant. quartermaster sergeant, SER
geants. corporals. cooks musicians
artificer. AZ privates; total. 65.
Battery of field artillery first sergeant.
j stable sergeant, l quartermaster sergeant
sergeants. 13 corporals, artificers. 2 mn
sicians. cooks Of privates; total. 100.
Eighty minimum for 4-gun battery.
Company OF engineers first sergeant 1
ouartermaster sergeant. sergeants, 10
corporals. musicians, cooks, 80 first
class privates. 80 second-class privates;
total. 100.
The Signal Corps not to exceed III per
cent OF the enlisted strength of the organ
lied militia.
Hospital Corps-to each ambulance COM
pany--J sergeants, first class; 8 sergeants
z corporals. "a privates, 2 musicians, 2
cooks: total. SO.
Recruiting Standard Of the Army.
Further. the board states that las the
great expense contemplated by this law on
tre part of the federal government is sole
ly to guarantee that 1t shall have available
q reliable militia for constitutional pur-
poses. 1t Is contrary to public policy that
this money should be expended to uniform,
erm, equip and at times to pay, subsist
and transport men who will probably not
be found mt when they appear for muster
Therefore. the boa I'd not being nranarad -