The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-31
TO TEST Law.
National Guard Association Decides to
Test an Enactment Of the Last
Legislature.
Iron Fargo Forum.l

lFrom Fargo FOrum.l
The second days session of the an
nnal meeting Of the State National
Guard was called to order by Captain
Frame, the president, this morning.
There was no decrease in the attend
ance of regular delegates. Colonel
Peake and Captain Mudgett of Val
ley City5 who could not be here YES
terday, were present this morning.
After the opening fol malities the pres
ident called for the first order of bust
ness set for today, the election of
officers. which resulted as follows:
President-Captain Purdon, Co. ].
Wahpeton.
First Vice President-Captain Muds-
EFT, regimental adjutant, Valley CITY.
Second Vice President Captain
Wells, Battery A, Lisbon.
Secretary--Lieutenant Curtis, Bat
terry A, Lisbon.
Observation-Disclosures Lewis, Co. q,
Fargo.
Following the. election of officers
and after the new president had taken
his seat, there was general discus.
sion of matters of general interest to
the military status of the state. A
general desire was expressed to know
things as to the validity of some of the
laws relating to the state military, and
1t was conceded that the association
ought to be supplied with a legal opin-
Ion. Several plans were proposed and
action was formulated SO that the in
formation desired will be obtained.
There was an interesting discussion
along the line of needed examinations
for commissioned and commits
stoned officers. 1t was conceded that
there was lack of general knowl-
edge on the part of some officers, that
they were not keeping in touch with
the code of tactics, and this meant in
efficiency. General Creel cited what
was doing in the matter of the regular
examinations for officers of guards in
other states, and he added that IL the
Dick law passes there will be examin-
Nations for all officers, and conducted
by regular army officers-the latter up
to the rank of major were now sub
jected to rigid examinations semi
annually, which meant that they had
to be schooling al the time. The sug-
gestion of the better education of Off
GERS and the necessity for a better and
closer knowledge of the code of tactics
was generally approved.
"A suggestion was offered that the
annual meetings of the association be
increased to three days, and that at
least half of the time be devoted 10
the listening of instruction to be given
by an army officer at session where
those in attendance be subject to the
usual army courtesies and discipline
TO demonstrate to the officer present
that the guards knew what it was 10
be amenable' to army discipline and
regulations
On motion of Col. Frank P. Allen
of Lisbon, the president of the asso-
citation, with the cooperation OF the
adjutant-general, was requested to
arrange for the presence of regular
army officer at the next annual meet
ing, and that the officer be requested
to give instruction, through the me-
dunn of lecture or a series of papers.
The motion was carried.
a motion was unanimously adopted
extending a vote of thanks to the COM
mercial club for the use of it's rooms
for the meeting.
After attention was given to a num-
Der of routine matters the meeting of
the = association adjourned sine die,
moving the adoption of a resolution
appointing the place of meeting to be
}at the city of Bismarck next year Dur
ing the session of the legislature on
date to be selected by the executive
committee, and the president was au-
thorized to appoint his committees and
notify the appointees by mail.
"A very satisfactory meeting"
This Is the way Adjutant General
Creel characterized the meeting of the
national guard in this city. He says
that the meeting will result in great
good to the national guard of this
state.
General Creel smiled when asked
concerning the action which had been
taken to test the legality of the militia
law which was enacted at the last SEES
sion of the legislature, and then re-
piled:
"A committee was appointed to take
care of the matter and subscriptions
were solicited to pay expenses. / was
liberal subscriber
In view of the fact that the purpose
of testing the legality of the law was
to determine whether or not General
Creel could continue to hold ollice as
head of the guard of this state, his ac-
ton in subscribing literally" will
probably be a surprise to many.
On the face of the law it appears
to be class legislation" said General
Creel, land therefore unconstitutional.
However, the courts will decide upon
that point"