The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-08
An Army Reserve.

In the Journal of the Military Service
institution Major ERASMUS M. WEAVER
of the Artillery Corps points out that
Congress has never fully exercised its
powers under the Constitution ito pro-
vide for organizing, arming and dis
oiplining the militia and for governing
such part Of them as may be employed
In the service of the United States
The result is that before the passage
Of the Dick law the citizen soldiery,
called militia in Massachusetts, and the
National Guard in most other States,
were organized, armed and trained,
without any legal relation to the
methods and standards Of the service
of the United States; and to some ex-
tent such is still the case.
During the Spanish war regular
army officers who were detailed for
service with State troops were pain
fully impressed with the limit to their
utility. The officers were unfamiliar
with the army methods Of obtaining and
distributing rations and equipment, and
the troops were ignorant Of camp cook
ing as practised by The experienced
regulars. The forms Of routine reports
were a puzzle to adjutants and olerks and
surgeons and company officers did not
know how to report cases Of sickness.
! Major WEAVER declares that the
| military systems Of administration and
.supply Of the States, which has stood In
the past back Of the regular army, IL
practically worthless to the United
States when put to the test Of a 81 dden
call to arms There should be substi-
| tuted a plan under which the citizen SOL
der when called to the side Of the regu-
lar shall "live, move and have his being
rs a regular without having to adapt
himself to changed conditions In any
particular.
1t Is proposed by Major WEAVER that
the army Of the United States shall CON-
| sist "n peace and war Of the regular
Amy and the volunteer army, the latter
to be organized and disciplined accord
ing to the laws, rules, regulations and
orders governing the regular army, the
officers, Of course, to be appointed by
the Governors Of the States; ten days
service with regulars In camp every year
to be required; a regular officer to be
on duty in each State on the staff Of the
Governor; the number Of volunteers to
be ap%portioned among the States &C.
cording to population; the volunteers to
be under the orders Of the War Depart
ment, through the Governors
One objection that might be urged
against this plan is its tendency to con-
vert the State troops into a force avail
able for purposes not contemplated by
the Constitution. With a Man on Horse
back In the White House this would be
a real danger. 1t would be necessary
more explicitly to define the uses to
which the volunteer army could be put.
Major WEAVER argues that citizen
soldiers such as these would be could in
no sense he considered a danger to the
body politio; it Is not to be supposed
that the very members Of that body
would plot to destroy it. II the con-
sent Of Governors of States were made
necessary to the employment Of the
volunteers at the request Of the Presi-
dent the check upon abuse Of authority
should be adequate. "The plan,' says
| Major WEAVER, involves the condition
that the United States volunteers in
each State should be supplied with their
arms, clothing and equipment at all
times by the United States, and during
mobilization with subsistence Also
If the proposal we're enacted into law
the difference between the regulars and
the volunteers In efficiency would be