Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-11
CONFORM TO THE LAW
Requirement as to National
Guard of the Country.
INCLUDES DISTRICT MILITIA
Acting Secretary of War Oliver Makes
a Statement.
PROVISIONS OF THE DICK BILL
failure to Obey Statute Will Result
in DECLARING State From Use
of Allotment.
ROVISIONs OF THE DICK BILL

the District of Columbia and the citizen
soldiery of the remainder of the country
is communication copies of which were
forwarded today by the acting secretary
of war to the governors of the several
states and the commanding general of the
District of Columbia militia.
The acting secretary invites attention to
so much of section of an act to promote
the efficiency of the militia, approved jan
uary q, 1903, provides that the organi-
cation, armament and discipline of the Or
ganized militia in the several states and
territories and in the District of Columbia
shall be the same as that which is now or
may hereafter be prescribed for the regu-
lar and volunteer armies of the United
States within five years from the date of
the approval of the act.
1.-The requirement that the organization
of the organized militia in the several states
and territories and the District of Column
bia shall conform to that of the regular
and volunteer armies of the United states
therefore becomes effective on January q,
190S,'' the acting secretary explains, and
it consequently becomes the duty of the
governors to take necessary steps to Sc
cure such conformity in organization by the
date named. Failure to meet this statu
tory requirement will result in debarring a
state from the use of it's allotment of the
annual appropriation of 100000 for the
support of the organized militia provided
by section 1861, r. s., as amended by the
act of June %, 1906.
Provision of Statute.
1T is provided in section of the last
named statute that no state shall be en-
titled to the benefits of the appropriation
apportioned to it unless the number of its
regularly enlisted, organized and uniformed
active militia shall be at least 100 men for
tayi, rrr6i o,
suCH state is entitled in the Congress of
the United States. And the amount of said
appropriation which is thus determined not
to be available shall be covered back into
the treasury
The Congress has therefore dire led that
no state shall be entitled to the benefits of
this appropriation unless, among other
requirements its active militia shall be
organized which term, as applied to the
organized militia after January q, 1908, is
defined as stated above in section of the
act of January 81 1903, by the requirement
of conformity in organization to that which
is now may hereafter be prescribed for
the regular and volunteer armies of the
United States.
Suggestions for Enactment.
with view to placing upon the statute
books of yourdstate an organic military law
providing the necessary measure of con-
formity to the organization now in force in
the regular army, or which may hereafter
become effective therein, the following pro-
visions are suggested for enactment by the
legislature:
stSuch provisions of article one, War De-
partment circular of October 8, 1903. as re-
late to the staff of the governor giving in
detail the duties of the adjutant general
and his assistants and the quarEermaster
general and his assistants.
THAT the National Guard Oh the state
shall consist of such persons as may be
commissioned or enlisted therein, and of
| such general officers as the strength
| thereof may warrant, an adjutant gen
erals department, an inspector general S
| department, judge advocate genera S
| department, a quartermaster's department,
| a subsistence department, medical de-
| partment, a hospital corps, pay depart
ment corps of engineers, an ordnance
department and a signal corps. The Ma
tional Guard shall be organized in a uAVis-
| ion, brigades, regiments, battalions, squad
| rons, troops, batteries, companies and sig
| nal corps in accordance NTH its strength
| as legally authorized from time to time and
| in conformity with the organization which
! is or may hereafter be prescribed for
| the regular and volunteer armies of the
United States; Provided. however, That the
| governor shall have the power to alter,
| divide, annex, consolidate, dlsband or re-
| organize the same and create new organiza-
| tons therein whenever In his judgment the
| efficiency of the militia forces will be
| thereby increased: and Provided, further
| That he shall have the power at any time
| to change the organization of staff depart
| mcnts regiments, battalions, squadrons,
troops, batteries, companies and "'gnal
| corps to conform to any organization,
| system of drill or instruction now or here
| after adopted for the army of the United
| States and for that purpose the number of
officers and enlisted men of any grade in
staff departments, regiments, battalions.
squadrons. troops, batteries, companies and
signal corps may be increased to the extent
| made necessary by the new positions thus
created.
Organization of Staff Departments.
"That the organization of the staff de-
! partments of the National Guard shall be
| as follows
1.-The adjutant generals department-This
| department shall consist of the commission
| ed officers of proper grades necessary to
perform the duties of the adjutant general
| on the STATS of the brigades and of the
division.
| The medical department-This depart
| ment shall consist of the officers of the
proper grades necessary to perform the du-
| ties of surgeons on the STATS of the bril-
| gades and of the division: of the surgeons
4