The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-12
MUST ENCOURAGE
 NATIONAL GUARD
Acting Adjutant Gen. Hall Makes
 Interesting Report
DRILLS MUST BE ATTENDED
To Carry This Out 1t Is Suggested That MiIitiamen Be Paid So Much for Drills Required By Law.
 Many Recommendations

Washington, November il The annual report of Acting Adjutant General Hall of the army was made public today. It deals with every phase of the military establishment. The actual strength of the army on October 15 1903 was 36s1 of- ficers and 55, 800 enlisted men. There were lost to the army during the year ended June 30. 1908, 29,279 men, as follows: One hundred and thirty-eight officers, of whom twenty-five were killed in action or died of wounds or disease; 2S,1A en- listed men, of whom S37 were killed in &C., ton or died of wounds or disease, the remainder representing men discharged for expiration of term of service, for disability, by sentence of courtmartial, assertions and retlrements.
 Over one-half of the report Is devoted to the militia and 1t gives a detailed &C., count of the workings of the act to pro- mote the efficiency of the militia passed at the last session of congress. Inspec- tions of the several military organiza- tions, the report says were begun on April 25, 1903, and complete about the first of July. The total number of the organized militia including officers of
 
 be 116,542.
 Can't Lose the Time.
 Continuing the adjutant general states that there is an inexplicable opposition on the part of the employers to permit their employees who are members of the nation- al guard to leave their work to partici- pate in drills, encampments and target practice, as well as in responding to call for service of the state for suppression of disturbances.
 Business and professional men con- nected with the organized militia of some of the states" the adjutant general adds, feel that they cannot afford to waste their time in riots or labor troubles, while they would be perfectly willing to respond in case of war. In some cities of Virginia, Georgia and Louisiana the newspapers have prejudiced minds of the militiamen by tbeir distorted views.
 Fear of Negro Commanders.
 ''The fear is expressed in some southern communities that under the President s orders white national guardsmen might be compelled to serve under colored com mander and still others believe that they state troops and should not be ordered for duty outside the state. All of these examples however. are to be regarded as sporadic ratheg than contagious, and as the intent of the law becomes better un derstood with perhaps some further legis- lation. 1t is believed all opposition will be confined to such irreconcilable elements that are not satisfied with anything less than the abolition of all agencies that make for the preservation of law and order"
 Recommendations.
 Among the recommendations made in the report are these:
 That in order to increase the attend ance at drills and thus secure increased efficiency of the organized militia, gov ernors be permitted to utilize the allot- ment of their respective states under section 1861, revised statutes, for the purpose of furnishing a per diem allow ance. not in any case to exceed 43 cents per drill of one and one-half hours for the purpose of paying enlisted men of the organized militia for attendance at each of the twerty-four drills annually re- quirel y statute.
 That as a precedent to participation in maneuvers, the states and territories require a sufficient physical examina- ton for entrance into their organized militia.
 That states be permitted to retain rifles and carbines now in use by mili- tary schools and colleges instead of throwing them in on receipts of new arms.
 That for the purpose of preserving order in camp no troops of the organ ized militia shall participate in maneu- vers unless the laws of the state to which troops belong sufficiently provide for the punishment of disorder.
 
 For good cup of coffee. Gelders, no N.