The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-20
GEORGIA TROOPS
 ARE SURPRISED. Inspection Proves More Severe
 Than They Expected MILITIA COLONEL TALKS Says Too Much Is Required of the State Troops in Comparison With Assistane Glven-com-
 panies on Probation.

Atlanta, March 19.-(Special. )-There 1 is no little criticism in certain quarters
 of the severity which has characterized ! the inspection of the Georgia state troops,
 now little more than half completed. While many of the commands reported I on, 1t is true, have fallen short in cer-
 tain ordinary requirements there is
 feeling that the inspections have been
 this year too exacting, amounting to
 the professional troops of the regular
 army.
 Warning was given when the inspec-
 tions began that they would be more
 strict than heretofore. but the troops ac-
 customed to a certain inspection routine
 of some years past, put on scarcely any
 more steam and were hardly prepared to
 meet the more severe conditions.
 A military official of the state who
 will not assent to the proposition that
 the inspections have been more severe than they should still admits that cer- tain changes should be made which would insure better attention to the adminis- trative features of the various regiments
 and thereby to a certain extent would in-
 crease their effectiveness.
 "There Is no doubt" he said that
 the duties required of adjutants and quar- termasters of regiments, are more oner- ous than they should be called on to perform without compensation. The
 state not only requires the quartermas- ters to give bond, but 1t exacts of both
 quartermasters and adjutantf the same
 careful attention to their duties as they
 would give to their own business. Of
 course 1t does not always get this at tenton and therein lies the source of
 much trouble and confusion that arises in the administration of the military de-
 partment In my opinion the state should
 pay each adjutant and each quartermas- ter at least $300 year for his services.
 and then it would be in a position to re- uuire that strict attention to the duties
 of the positions without which the milf tary administration must be almost fatally defective. I trust this matter will be pre- sented to the legislature this year in such light that something effective may be accomplished"
 Expense to Officers. | A well known colonel commanding one
 of the Georgia regiments was discussing the situation in Governor Terrelrs of | flee.
 There Is no doubt about the fact that | too much is required of the state troops 1 in comparison with the assistance which the state gives them to meet these re- quirements." he said. ''The officers are put to entirely too much expense in the matter of uniform and equipment have four hats and l must get another
 one. I have several uniforms and l am
 required to purchase new suit of
 khaki l have two swords and l must
 get another l had a good oyercoat, yet
 l was required to purchase q new olive drab coat to comply with the new regu- lations. There are other articles which
 I must procure, though I have similar oraa Uhfph wOul1 answer pVprD DQrDOae.
 On account of this expense 1 recently
 lost one of my majors, one of the best officers in the regiment. He would have been put to the expense of $10O or more for new articles of uniform and equip ment and he did not feel able to pay It.. And so 1t Is with many officers in the state service.
 "Take the administrative feature. My uuartermarter and adjutant are required to ao worm that is as difficult and exact ing as keeping set of books, yet they receive not one ,ent of compensation for it. Men are assigned to these duties in the regular army, but that Is their pro- fessfOn; they are paid for 1t. Yet all most as much is required of our of- fcers in thu state service, who are ex pected to give their time and their money
 without return, except a consciousness of q patriotic duty performed some times we'll and. quite naturally, some times indifferently.
 .If the state is going to make strict requirement. in all these matters she should give her troops that encourage ment, material and otherwise, which will enable them better to comply with her demands"
 Result of Inspections. Out of about foyty-hve companies which