The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-20
MAY NOT ATTEND
Kansas National Guard May Not
Go to Riley.
Not Satisfied With Arrange
ments for Fall Maneuvers.
ALLOWED ONLY SIG MEN
If Both Regiments Can Not Go,
None Will.
Officers Are Countermanding
Orders for New Uniforms.

Kansas will not participate in the fall
maneuvers at Fort Riley this year, IN
less an order of the war department re-
ceived Saturday is changed. This order
forbids the state sending its entire
guard of 1900 men to the maneuvers,
but states that one regiment of S16 Of
ficers and men shall be made up to rep
resent Kansas. This cannot be DONE
because, in the first place, Kansas has
no regiment of SIG men. and to form one
would result in the disruption of the
Kansas national guard. Besides that
even if Kansas had it's regiment mus
tered up to the strength of S16 men, the
state would not care to send one regi-
ment to the maneuvers and leave the
other at home.
Officers of the Kansas national guard
who have ordered from $50 to 500 worth
OF expensive army uniforms and equip
ment in preparation for the maneuvers
are countermanding their orders. They
think that the guard will not go to the
maneuvers.
The reason for the order of the war
department is probably shortage in
the funds appropriated for the purpose.
Each state will be limited to the one
regiment of SIG men.
1t looks as though it might be
scheme to compel the state to pay part
of the cost for sending its guard to the
maneuvers. The state has appropria ted
$4,000 to pay for the expense of taking
its guard to Fort Riley, but the money
was appropriated with the distinct I'M
Outstanding that it would all be refund
ed by the government. 1t is believed by
the state officers that this fund could
not be used unless the refunding pro-
visions should be Married out.
The war department has 81. 600. 600 to
pay for the expense of the maneuvers
for the entire country. Kansas was
supposed to get $4,000 of this. Instead
it seems that the state will get only
about $4,000. And $4,000 will not pay
the expense of calling out the entire
guard for the maneuvers.
Adjutant General Kelsey said to-
day: This order comes from the
headquarters of General Bates of
Omaha, Neb.. 1 Believe that there
may be some mistake about il. I
can hardly believe that the intentions
of the War department have been un-
derstood. The order is not signed by
General Bates, but is signed by one of
his aides de camp. There may be some
mistake
IF this is the correct and final order,
1T means that the Kansas National
Guard will not participate in the fall
maneuvers at FIT. Riley. l suppose of
course, we can't tell definitely whether
that appropriation is available until
the matter is brought before the gov
ernOr and military board. But it was
made with the distinct understandings
that it would all be repaid to the state
by the government.
We may go ahead and have a re-
union and encampment of the Kansas
National Guard separate and apart
from the fall maneuvers if they are
arranged according to this order from
General Bates"
The plan of the war department is
outlined in the general orders from
General Bates. The following is the
strength of the regiment which it is
proposed each state shall send:
IL companies, 65 men each.
Regimental band .............2 Is
missioned staff Observation-Disclosures. s
3egimental band ................2 %
Total SIS
TIE order kindly makes the following
additional suggestions:
In event you select a regiment to at
tend which is rot up to this strength, it
is suggested that men from other or
ganiHations be attached so as to bring
the designated regiment to the required
strength"
The question is who would select the
men to be attached to this favored
regiment. 1t would be a difficult task.
In reply to the order, Adjutant Gen
eral Kelsey wrote asking if there was
not some mistake in the order. He ex-
planned the position of the Kansas Ma
tional guard as follows:
kansas has two regiments of infan-
try and two companies of artillery with
two bands, the strength of which is
about 300 officers and men. A regiment
of II companies is about 600. You will
therefore readily see that it is impossi-
BILE for this department to select only
one regiment and secure the strength
of SIG. Again this arrangement would
discourage our entire state militia, as
they have for long time been looking
forward to the entire strength of the
guard participating in these maneuvers
at Fit. Riley the same as they did in
1902"