The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-01

forbid the wearing of uniform clothing away from the armory, except when on duty, in camp or at drill. At this inspec- tion many organizations showed less clothing than was charged to them, and many men in ranks without uniform, while the amount of clothing charged to them was more than sufficient to equip every man present.
 Very few of the books prescribed for the United States army are kept at all, and those only when the organizations are in camp, being packed during the rest of the year with regimental property. Re- tained copies of returns and muster rolls are not generally kept. As no company has a desk (public) most company com- manders keep the company correspond ence at their private offices or at home, the result being much confusion when such officers are absent, as were few at these inspections
 To correct such trouble each company should have a field desk with all the books issued to a company, United States army, and all retained papers and cor respondence shoud be kept in such desks. Officers school was conducted at all camps except that of the cavalry squad ron being conducted by the regimental commanders and artillery battalion com mander, except in the 3rd infantry, where the Adjutant General conducted school. No reason is known why such instruction should not be imparted throughout the year, yet the four companies at Mobile, headquarters of the 1st infantry, are the only ones receiving such instruction at home. As the field officers live in many of the stations. they should be required to conduct school for their stations throughout the year, and captains at places where no field officer lives, should hold school for the officers of their com panies.
 Non-commissloned officers school re- ceives the proper attention in very few organizations. while all non-commissioned officers need more instruction in the duties of their office.
 Enlistments and Discharges.
 Although the Adjutant General issues upon request blank enlistment oaths, and requires that they be returned to him when attested, very few companies thus file evidence of all their enlistments. Many have not preserved any evidence whatever of such enlistments, although the men are usually sworn according to the code above noted. As the State grants privileges to members of the National Guard. and as they may be called into the United States service, 1t is
 
 each man be preserved.
 There has been a neglect to discharge men at the expiration of their enlist ments, and to re-enlist them if they in- tend to remain in their organizations. A written discharge should be given each man at the expiration of his service, and also to men who apply for discharge be- cause of change of residence. Some captains have dropped mems names from their rolls simply because they have changed their residence or neglected for some months to attend drills. The en- listment contract is thus deprived of its solemn and binding effect and men look upon their election Into the social organi- zation as their entrance into the military service rather than their enlistment. Very few organizations are organized in squads, and still less impose upon their non on-commissioned officers any responsi- binty for the men placed under them.