The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-11

The President has, under the author ity vested in him by the law approved January 21, 1903. known as the Dick law, established minimum of enlisted strength for each organization of the organized militia. as set forth in Gen. eral Orders No 3. War Department, as follows:
 Tor company of infantry, total en- listed. 5S; apportioned as follows: One first sergeant. one quartermaster ser- geant. four sergeants, six corporals. two cooks, two musicians and forty two privates.
 For a troop of cavalry, total enlisted. 5S; apportioned as follows: One first sergeant, one quartermaster sergeant, four sergeants, six corporals. two cooks. two farriers and blacksmlths. haddler, two trumpeters and thirty nine privates.
 For a company of engineers, total enlisted, 5S. This is based on appor- tionfnent to grades as follows: one first sergeant, one quartermaster ser- geant, four sergeants. six corporals, two cooks, two musicians. twenty one privates first class and twenty-one pri- yates second class.
 For company of coast artillery, to- tai enlisted, 63, apportioned to grades as follows: One first sergeant, one quartermaster sergeant, one stable ser geant, six sergeants. twelve corporals, two musicians four artiflcers, two cooks and I04 privates.
 For company of signal corps. tota enlisted( 5s. based on apportionment to grades as follows: Five sergeants. first class. five sergeants. ten corporals. two cooks. eighteen privates first class and eighteen privates second class.
 t.I al f~ lance company section, total enlisted, 4s, based on apportionment to grades as follows. two sergeants first class, seven sergeants and thirty-four pri- yates, first class and privates to) Field hospital. total enlisted, thirty three. apportionment to fdes as fol- lows: Three sergeants first class, six sergeants and twenty-four priyates, first class and privates.
 The general order provides:
 NO organization will be accepted into the service of the United States which. in the number of its officers and enlisted men. is below the mini mum prescribed by the President, or above the maximum strength fixed by law for such organization; and when ever any organization which is ordered out, or called upon, Is below the min- imuui, it shall be immediately recruit ed to at least that standard before leaving it's home station.
 'rrom the day that any portion of the organized militia ordered into &C., tual service of the United States ap- pears at the place of company rendez- vous, the men will be provided with the necessary clothing, equipment arr mament and ammunition, subsisted and transported to the place of concentra- &t.1 frII fne er mi
 "Governors of States and Territories and the commanding general of the militia of the District of Columbia will be required to keep on hand, either at the various company armories or in suitable storehouses. a sufficient sup ply of arms, clothing, etc, to complete ly equip for the field the minimum number of men prescribed by the President for each organization, so that on being called into the service any organization will be completely equipped from the stores on hand in the State or Territory or the District or Columbia without calling on the War Department for assistance; any organ ization which is below the minimum, and which is obliged to recruit to its proper standard is thus enabled to im- mediately uniform. arm and equip the recruits before proceeding to the place of concentration. where they will even tually be mustered into the service of the United States
 The report of the Committee on the Militia to the House of Representatives in Congress, on February 6, 1907. calls attention to the fact that the Dick law requires "that within five years from the date of its approval. there shall be such changes in the organization, arm ament and discipline of the organized militia of the several States and Ter ritories as will bring them into sub stantial harmony with the organization, armament and discipline of the Regular and Volunteer Armies of the United States"
 The report also says that General Orders, No. 3, War Department. estab- fishes the minimum number of enlist ed men for each organization in times of peace; the bill now before the House establishes the maximum 1f war strength of such bodies.
 The bill referred to is to conform the Militia of the District of Colum- bia to the regular army and fixes the maximum for infantry companies of the militia at one captain; one first lieu tenant, one second lieutenant, one first one quartermaster sergeant, four sergeants. eight corporals, two cooks, two musicians. one artifcer, and not more than eighty-seven pri- yates, which is 109.