Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-14
CONCLUDING SESSION
ASSOCIATION OF THE NAVAL
MILITIA ADJoURNs.

The concluding session Of the annual con-
veiltion of the Association of Naval Militia
of the United States was held yesterday
afternoon at the New Willard, when officers
were elected for the ensuing year as fol-
lows: Capt Edwin Geer of Maryland. pres
ident: Capt George A. Baer of California
and Commander Henry s. Coulding of Geor-
gia, W S. aRuschenberger of Pennsylvania.
treasurer: Lieut.. F. r. Wagner of Mary
land, secretary.
\ resolution was offered by the District
of Columbia delegates expressing the
sympathy of the association for Paymaster
Sidney Bieber. it's former vice president,
on account Of his Illness and enforced abb
sence from it's meetings After compliment
airy remarks by President Geer, Capt. STRAIT
ton Lieut.. Commander Drummer and Sur
geon S. c. Cox. the resolution was unanl-
mously adopted.
As the guests of the District OF Columbia
naval militia the delegates were entertained
at luncheon on the monitor Puritan later
in the afternoon.
A resolution was passed as follows: That
this association requests the Secretary OF
the Navy to confer with the secretary OF
the Department of Commerce and Labor
with the view of re-establishing the law
which existed previous to 1903. granting
masters and pilots licenses to deck officers
on ships o fthe naval miltias after passing
Strength Of Naval Reserve.
A statement was presented showing the
strength CT the naval reserve militia of the
United States last year to have been as fol-
lows: California AL; Connecticut, 221; Dis
trict of Columbia. 2l5; Georgia, 1870; Ili-
nois, 691: Louisiana. 5I7, Maine, 6S: Mary
land. 30; Massachusetts, 4S4: Michigan,
ga: Minnesota 125; New Jersey 3Oi; New
York, EDS; North Carolina. 2j4; Ohio, 15i;
Pennsylvania, Of; Rhode Island, 300, South
Carolina, 20i. Total $3.50.
As an argument in favor of a liberal APP
preparation by Congress for the naval
reserves, delegate from Georgia said
the legislature of that state last year ap-
proprlated the muniticent sum of S2Go
for its militia.
The claim was made that some of the
states had not expended their allotment
from the congressional appropriation In
reply to this several, delegates eXplaine d
that if the use of the funds was not re-
stflcted TO certain expenditures by the
law there would be no uneSpended bal
ances on hand at the end of the fiscal
year.
For instance" said a delegate from
South Carolina, we have all the rifles
and one-pounder guns we require but we
need money for repairs and to build
shelters for our cutters and launches and
the funds we have on hand are not avail
able for those purposes. The allotment
toi tHe idIu ana water Nillltla FORCES OF
South Carolina Is only $4,000. The money
we receive does not pay armory rent ana
other similar expenses. The government
should build boat houses for the launch
es cutters and other federal property"
The delegate from California said that
state has balance on hand Of between
$4,000 and $4,000
I'VE have" he added, two decrepit old
ships. the Pinta and the Marion, and we
are debating whether to put our balance
into repairing the venerable crafts named
or whether to purchase one smaller and
more modern vessel for the use of the
California naval militia If we can do SO
under the law.