Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-12
BETTER SERVICE
Is Wanted from the National
Guard of United States.
Gen. Hall Says About 80 Men to a
Company Are Available.
Annual Report on Regular Army and
Its Efficiency.

Washington, Nov 11.-Thc annual re-
port of Acting Adj. Gen. Hall of the
army was made public, Wednesday,
The actual strength OF the army on
oct. Is. 1863, was 1881 officers and 81
ECO enlisted men. There were lost to the
army during the year ended June so,
1903, 23,ZI9 men, as follows:
One hundred and thirty-eight officers,
of whom % were killed in action and
died or wounds or disease; 28,l41 en-
listed men of whom %37 We're killed in
action or died of wounds or disease. the
remainder representing men discharged
for expiration of term of service disa-
blity. sentence Of court-Martial deser-
tons and rctrements.
Over one-half of the report is devoted
to thc militia and it gives detailed ac-
count az the WORKINGS of the act to pro-
mote the efficiency of the militia, passed
ut the las. session of Congress-
inspections OF the several militia or
ranizations, the report says, were begun
on April o.. 1901. and completed about
the first of the year. The number of or
ganized militia including officers Of all
ranks and grades, was ascertained to be
11f,5i2.
Regarding the dependable strength of
the militia in time of national peril the
a1lU,ant general states that although,
tho obligation Of officers and men of the
militia to resound promptly to sudden
call Of the President has been on the
statute books more than 100 years ana
of the organized militia or national
guard for nearly 40. and the neglect TO
so respond is punishable by such penal
ties as Il court-martial may direct, eX-
nericnce has shown that this Obligation
is n the ory rather than fact. without
going further back than the late war
with Soain the proportion of member
shin of militia organizations who nave
actually RESPONDED to such calls of the
President has borne q Very small pro
norton TO those actually borne on the
company rolls.
Eliminating the men unfit for military
service and those unable to go TO the
front for logical reasons. the report says
that only about 20 of the original COM
many is a fair estimate of the NUMBER
of men in each company that were IL
pally received into the service oil the
United states.
Continuing the adjutant general
states that there is an ineXpllcapie op-
lection on the part of employers 10 per-
their employees who are members OIL the
National Guard to leave their work 10
narticirata in drills, encampments ana
target practice, as well rs in respond
ing TO calls for service from the state,
for the suppression of disturbances.
The aljutant general adds:
In some cities of Virginia, Georgia
and Louisiana. the newspapers have
preiudced the minds of the miitiamen
nv their distorted views. The fear Is
EXPRESSED in some Southern communi-
ties that under the Presidents order
the Matilda Guardsmen might be COM
PEELED to serve under 4 colored COM
mander and still others believe that
they are state troops and should not
be ordered for duty outside the State.
AS the intent of the law becomes bet
ter understood with perhaps some FUR
'thcr exclamation the belief is express
cd that most of this opposition Will
vanish
IT is recommended that provision be
made in the appropriation bill for nlre
and forage of horses and fuel for mill
tia While engaged in maneuvres. In
order 10 increase the attendance at the
drills and thus to secure Increased efh-
cheney OF the organized militia that
governors be permitted to utilize the
allotment of their respective states
under Sec 1861, Revised Statutes, Tor
the purpose of furnishing per diem
allowance. not il, any ease to exceed AZ
cents per drill OF one and one-haf
hours, for the purpose of paying en-
listed men Of the organized militia for
attendance at each Of the "A drills an
nualiy required by statute.
That as 4 precedent to participation
in mancuvres the states and territories
require difficult physical examination