Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-17
THE NEW MILITIA LAW
ITS PROVISIONS DISCUSSED BY
COL. EDWARD E. BRITToN.
Alleged Unauthorized Statements and
Misleading Information-The Ma
tional Guards Position.

chairman of the executive committee of
has made a statement as to the objects and
purposes Of the militia bill which was re-
Gently enacted into law by Congress. Col
this explanation because of the unauthor-
lied statements regarding the bill and the
misleading information that has appeared
from time to time regarding it's benefits
and it's effect upon the various National
Guard organizations throughout the coun-
try. Col. Britton states:
1.-The objects Of the provision that the
Organization, armament and discipline of
the organized militia shall be the same as
that which is prescribed for the regular
and volunteer armies of the United States
are twofold:
"First, that in time of peace there shall
be uniformity of instruction, and. second.
in time of war organization shall be iden-
teal, to avoid confusion. While at the time
of entry into the service of the United
States, either as militia within it's bound
aries for limited period or if volunteering,
Interpretation Of the requirement relating
to organization will be strict, in time of
peace it will properly be liberal, when not
interfering with the true intent of the pro-
pany. troop, battery, battalion or regiment
of infantry or cavalry might, as a necessity
OF instruction or administration, have as
signed or detailed to 1t extra officers to per-
form the duties of extra lieutenants, in
spectors Of small arms practice, assistant
surgeons, etc, these officers, unless subse-
quently provided for in the regular and
volunteer service, would be relieved from
duty at the time of entry into the United
States service of the organization to which
fnr,f1 onay,
cles in line staff at such time or fill
other offices of usefulness in the service, in
new organizations created.
Under the New Law.
I'm spite of tradition the fact remains
that all necessities, tactical and admins
trative, are best met in all cases by regi-
ments of three battalions and battalions of
-FOUR companies each. 1t is not unreason-
able to assume that with the increased pub
lie appreciation of the Importance of the
organized militia under the new law, the
necessary increase of companies and re-
cruiting would follow. While a regiment
or ten companies is untactical Except I'M
der Uptons and anterior discarded tactics)
even in the regular service a regiment
might properly be left at eight companies
pending recruitment to full regiment or
as ten-company regiment divided into
three battafionS, two to consist of three
companies only.
In cases of separate companies of in
tantry or troops of cavalry, If the organiza-
ton is similar to that of the corresponding
body in the regular service and conditions
are inconvenient to attach them to a bat
TALON, squadron or regiment existing, it
would not be violating section 3 that such
company or troop should remain unattach-
ed, until larger unit should be created
AS to special numerical other designa-
ton. there Is nothing In the new law to
conflict with present nomenclature. When
oir,cr ~ ~f H.
regiment, the present designations can stIlI
be preserved.
Uniformity Considered.
Uniformity Of organization, or at least
to an extent that will insure instruction
in time Of peace and absolute uniformity
on entry into the United States service.
may we'll be considered the very essence
of the new law, and any variation or quail
hcation of the terms of section 3 which
would open the door to a perpetuation of
the lack of uniformity now prevailing
would be most injurious to the service In
comparison the inconvenience involved on
the part of the different states in conform
ing to the spirit and letter of the new law
would be very slight. The judge advocate
general of the army has concurred in these
constructions of the new law
1t would be great misfortune We're the
National Guard of any state or any part
of 1t to consider itself perfect and beyond
Improvement In several of the states in
which high order of efficiency is maintain
ed organization of it's different bodies con-
forms strictly to that of the regular army.
AS a matter of fact, with proper amend
ments to the laws there need be no change
in the actual status, uniform insignia of
rank of any officer of the state National
Guard organizations, except that he might
belong to staff department of the state
assigned to duty with an organization and
earn ri on the rolls as such.
oftrht hn xxyaII
the fact that the annual United States ap-
preparation. divided among the different
states up to 1887, was but 500 600 when it
was increased to 100000 In 1900 this was
increased to $1,CO0,0OO. a greater sum hav-
Ing been expressly refused by the leaders
in Cor gress until the National Guard should
be organized similar to the regular estab-
lishment and placed on a footing of greater
efficiency. This Congress has given the
states to provide for complete rearmament
and equipment. the aggregate sum of S.
100000, Immediately available, and the new
act carries with it an annual provision in
the future for the pay, subsistence and
transportation of National Guard troops in
field and camp service, which will be an
important contribution to the real efficiency
of the National Guard in all the states, and
through the saving of state funds for such
purpose, provide for enlargement of armory
accommodations for added companies.
THE law aims to create a force homo
geneous in all respects throughout the
country. instead of what might we'll be
termed forty-eight separate armies, each
varying from the other in many respects,
and to insure degree of practical useful
ness for the purposes for which soldiers are
trained, which will justify the liberal ex-
penditure of public funds made by the state
and nation on the citizen soldery, all of
which the confusion and friction In mobii-
zation of the National Guard, and in its
general lack of preparation In the practical
work of the solder in camp and field was
demonstrated by the war with Spain to be
a necessity
Repeats Its Demand for Funds.