Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-16
Dilatorv Off 3srs viii Re Sus-
pended tr u q mmand.
THEY Mus FILB BONDS
FIRST OF FFBRU AIRY ANNOUNCED
AS TIL TINE LIMIT.
That Sea Girt Prize Money-National
Trophy Boar eating-Train-
ing tie Militia.

It Is officially aunu 1ced that there is
trouble in store fo. ilose officers of the
National Guard of the District of Column
hia responsible foc public property who
have not fled bond o cno fail to do so by
ne LIST of Febrully Several years ago
sartain officers. priacp lily company and
sparate organic t.pJ. commando AMI
4uartermasters. in view of the fact tn It
uniforms, arms, equip usents and other pub
lie property had been issued to them, were
called upon to furnish bond. Many. per
haps a majority OF them. have complied
with the requirement. hut large number
have ignored 1t. Notwithstanding the fact,
1t Is alleged. that their attention has re-
peatedly been called 10 the demand of
headquarters
Patience has been exhausted it seems.
and the dilatory officers are to be brought
up with a sharp turn. Within day ur
two the wearers of shoulder straps in ques-
ton will be notified by Adjutant General
Brett, speaking for the commanding gen
eral, that unless approved bonds are flied
by the 1st proximo, those individuals who
shall then be in arrears. so to speak. VIII
be suspended from their respective COM
nands. Restoration to duty will depend
not alone on the subsequent fling of the
bonds but on the future decision of head
quarters The comm nding general is very
Again That Sea Girt Money.
The announcement that the auditor for
the War Department had allowed the
claims of certain members of last years
brigade rife team for what they commended
were their respective shares of the money
won by the District team as a prize in the
National Trophy match was received by
headquarters without comment. 1t Is
pointed out that the matter was one of
opinion, nothing more Gen. Harries. it is
explained, held to the view, under all the
circumstances, that the individual team
members, having had all their expenses
during months of practice and in connec-
ton with the Sea Girt trip proper paid by
the guard, were not entitled to the prize
money. The auditor took opposite view
and, those In authority say. the ruling does
not cause Gen. Harries the least concern.
Certain officers known to be close to the
powers that be. however. do not hesitate
to now reiterate their assertion that the
official usefulness Of officers who see fit to
oppose their military superiors is, to all
1ntents and purposes, at an end. 1t is
prophesied too. that when brigade rifle
team of 1904 starts forth in quest of glory
and prizes many familiar faces will be
missing from its ranks.
National Match for 1904.
The board for the promotion of rifle prac-
tice, appointed by the Secretary of War.
will hold a meeting next Monday in this
city for the purpose of determining where
the next National Trophy match shall be
shot. 1t was decided last year that the
competition for 1884 should occur at some
city in the middle west and it is under
stood that st. LOUIS will be decided on.
certain proposed changes In the regulations
governing the tch will also be considered
by the board.
Preliminary to the meeting Monday the
directors of the National Rifle Associa ton
hit
the Arlington Hotel for the purpose of dis
cusSlng important matters.
To Establish Rifle Ranges.
Representative Wiley of Alabama has in
troduced bill to create a commission to
investigate the expediency and practicable
fty of establishing public rifle ranges
Throughout the United States
The bill provides that 1.-The Secretary of
War be directed to appoint commission to
consist of two commissioned officers of the
United States army, two officers of the Ma
tional Guard and the adjutant general of
the state that Is inspected or investigated
while the commission is In such state, and
report, through the Secretary of War to
Congress to the expediency and practi-
cabilfty of establishing and maintaining
rlne ranges in such congressional districts
OF the United States where the size or ca
paclty OF such rifle ranges may be SO ar
ranged as to meet the requirements of the
army. navy. Marine Corps and the National
Guard of the several states and territories
and the District of Columbia. Also the
rifle ranges may be used by rifle clubs prop
erly organized in the United States, rules
and regulations for such rifle clubs to be
prescribed by the board for the promotion
or rifle practice tappointed by the Secretary
of War; of which the assistant secretary of
war is chairman
To carry the foregoing into effect the bill
provides that the sum of $4,000 or so much
he
ated out of any money in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated.
Training Organized Militia.
Col. Edward f. Britton of the National
Guard of New York, a gold medalist of the
Military Service Institution and chairman
of the executive committee of the Inter-
state National Guard Association, declares
in recent article that the most important
military problem which confronts today
the people of the United States, as repre-
scented by their federal and state govern
ments. is the training of the organized mi
Htia. The militia law of January 81 1893
says Col. Britton, swept away the obsolete
provisions of the act OF 1892, based on the
old theory that every able bodied citizen of
the country could be counted upon. not
only TO arm and equip himself at his own
expense, but to train himself ready for
service. on call. BY il Congress resumed
Its rights under the Constitution: ITO pro-
vide for the common DEFENSE; ito provide
for calling forth the militia to execute the
laws of the Union. suppress instructions
and repel invasiors; ITO provide for organ
izng. arming and disciplining the militia
and for governing such part OF them as
may be employed in the service of the
United States. reserving to the states re-
spectively. the appointment of the officers
and the authority of training the militia
according to the discipline prescribed by
Congress" At the same time the enact
ment OF this law renders unconstitutional
any state military force which shall remain
in existence after five years. without hay
ing complied with its conditions the Con-
= stitution providing that mo state shall.
without the consent of Congress .
keep troops or ships of war in time of
peace.
Maneuvers Near West Point