The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-25
HOCH SAYS WAIT.
Enters Poorest Against X. N. G..
Order.
Will Result in Demoralizing
Kansas Troops.
LIMIT is TOO HIGH.
Impossible to Keep Companies
Recruited to IS.
Adjutant General Hughes
Writac IN nfh0r G%o&oc
Adjutant General Hughes
Writes to Other States.

Governor E. w. Hoch this morning
sent letter to the United States sec
rotary of war protesting against the
enforcement of the departments or
der that all companies Of the national
guard of the various states must be
recruited to a minimum of So men in
order to entitle the state to participate
in the 100000 appropriated by the
Dick bill
Governor Hoch's will form the enter
ing wedge for general Campaign
against this obnoxious order Adult
ant General J. w. f. Hughes followed
it up by sending to the adjutant gen
erals of eighteen different states a let
ter explaining the situation, and noti-
flying them that unless they took ac-
ton, and blocked the enforcement of
the order they would probably have to
disband their national guard organ
izations The states to which General
Hughes wrote were New Hampshire
Maine. Maryland, Ohio. Michigan,
Missouri. Colorado. Iowa. Indiana,
North Dakota, Oregon, California
Texas and Washington. These are rep
resentative states which will be af-
fected by the new order. and in each
OF these states, the guard does not
lose all government support in case
the noxious order is enforced
Governor Hoch did not give out a
copy of his letter for publication, but
1t is known that he pointed out to the
war department that in many of the
small towns of the west where a COM
pany of the guard is located, it is diff
ficul- and almost impossible to re-
cruit the company up to the mini
mum OF 68 men which the order re-
quires. He urged that the order be
amended to make the minimum 40
men. or else that the operation of the
order be suspended pending the action
of congress at the present session. The
order, unless suspended, will go into
effect on Jan. al Governor Hoch cit
ed the fact that Kansas had always
come to the front with it's share or
fighting men in time of war, and that
it desired to do it's duty under the new
national guard act, but felt that the
requirements are too severe,
Under the provisions of the Dick bill,
Kansas has been drawing from the gov
eminent about $4,000 worth of military
equipment each year. The conditions
upon which this distribution should be
arranged was left to the war depart
ment, and 1t is the war department
which decided that the companies must
be recruited to q So minimum. and that
each state must also have on hand,
either in the possession of the COM
panies OF in their armory, sufficient
this strength, Kansas has the equip
ment on hand, so that it could, on short
notice, I'LL up its ranks and equip the
new men, but at present the enlistment
of most of the companies in the state
is considerably below the minimum
provided by the order.
The order says that unless the eeza-
panies are brought up to the minimum
strength, the guard can not draw any
supplies from the government. The
minimum strength provided In the or
der is as followsi Captain, first lieu
tenant, second lieutenant, first SER
inf 01lartarnaSter Serraant forY1.
sergeants, six corporals, two cooks, two
musicians, "a privates.