The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-07-24

CAPTAIN THOMAS LEWIS OF THE
ARMY MAKES UMEAv0RA-
BILE REPORT.
GUARDS OF WEST VIRGINIA LACK
PRACTICE IN nrARKSafANSHIP
AID DISCIPLINE.
Rec0n.raen&s That Two 0ficers Of Reg
ul.z Army Be Detailed for the In
{ apeeiatn Of West Virginia

Washington ID. O., July I1.--Co4s10-
ersnx the fact that the armories afEcgd
10 attraction and considerable Opposition
4 said TO exist against the guard On The
part Of the labor unions IN the large
s5wns, the underlying motive for enlist
ment ON the part of the men must be =
considerable military spirit This Is una
Of the tributes paid TO the National
Guard Of West Virginia IN report sub
nitted to Adiutant General Ccrbin to.
dry by Captain Thomas J. Lewis, sec
sond cavalry United States array, who wac
detailed to make an inspection Of the
guard Captain Lewis states that Of
,the eight companies of the first regiment
which figure In considering its present
efficiency and fair military bearing and
appeafance and Of the three companies
OF the second regiment station at Hunt
ington, two of these are fairly efficient
and the companies At Parkersburg are
also given the same credit The report
goes on to state that the enlisted mar
generally were Of good physique and
good material for soldiers, it states that
the desire TO learn was manifested.
Among other things, Captain Lewis
states In his report: -None of the regu-
lar men have had regular and system
course OF target practice, although the
state firing regulations for small arms
was adopted IN May, 1900, and regular
course established. No attention has
been given to this important part of the
soldiers training. In this respect the
guard is very deficient and as n greater
part of the enlisted strength is derived
from railroad employees, miners and other
artisans, It is fair to assume that the
guard has in its ranks many men who
are mot familiar with the discharging Of
arms, much less Workmanship.
sAs rule, the armories were dingy,
poorly policed, poorly lighted and very
nnattractive. Generally, and in my opin-
ion, they are not safe places for the stor-
age Of arms and ammunition. 1t is be-
lieved that uniformity in the instruction
and in the manner of instruction would
De greatly 10 the benefit OF the guard
by adopting system of post admins
8 tration for discipline and instruction.
In other words, the senior officer re-
siding at each home stxtion should be
held responsible for the discipline and
Instruction of the detachment Of the
guard at that station. At present, the
commanding officer of each company Is
free to do what he pleases as to the
discipline maintained by him and as to
the manner and character of the In
struetion given by him on the drill
nights In, other words, field officers
regiments should be required to take
more active interest in the welfare and
instruction of the companies and regi-
ments located In the towns where they
reside. and therefore give the company
officers the benefit of expeTfpced direc-
tion. Most of the field officers met by
me appeared to be earnest and jealous
IN their desire to improve the conditior
Of the guard and seemed TO be well post,
ed as to their duties and responsibilities.
The efficiency Of the county companies
would be greatly increased and regiment,
encouraged by the organization of squad.
b. the small settlements with the main
town as a basis. The growth of the ru-
raj telephone system Is such a. to enable
the squads to be modified ut the main
station almost as soon as those residing
nhere There could be more conveniently
assembled for drill and instruction and
healthy rivalry between the different
squads cultivated.1
Captain Lewis recommends that here
after two officers of the regular army
be detailed for the inspection of the
National Guard of West Virginia, ono
for the organizations along the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad to Wheeling and
Wellsburg, and the other for those troops
along the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
70 Parisersburg.