The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
 Joint Mnneuvers.


 The Army and Nav. Journal has a strong word for the continuance of maneuvers of the regular army, and the militia, and spe king of the bill before the House. says;
 "The refusal of the House 70 strike from the army appropriation bill fhe item of $1,000,000 for the expenses of the joint maneuvers of the army and the organized militia Is most com mendable, and will receive the earnest approval of all citizens who are intel ligently interested in the important cause of military training. Criticism of the maneuvers coming from old soi- diers, like Representatives Hull and Grosvenor, is entitled to the greatest respect, and there is too much justice in their criticisms. But if errors have beel made in the nianeuvers held thus far. that very fact should be sufficient reason for continuing the maneuvers regularly until they can be conducted without errors It will be granted. we believe, that last years camps of in- struction were far more beneficial In an educational way to the troops At- tending them than were the maneuvers of former years. We believe, more- over, that If the gentlemen in Congress who beiittle the importance of the work performed in those camps were to in- vestlgate thoroughly they would dis cover that large majority of the Na- tional Guard officers and men who at- tended the camps are of the opinion that the instruction provided there Is altogether the most valuable course of traiuing ever devised for our militia organizations. To have abandoned this system just as its usefulness has be- come understood and after experience had shown how 1t may be still further improved, would have -een a grievous blunder. That such q proceeding has been avoided Is an impressive manifes- tation of the strong common sense which has So frequently characterized the work of the present Congress" General Hull of the House Military Committee, while not favoring the present plan in full. said he was mot willing to support the motion to strike this out. because if 1t is stricken out we have nothing to take it's place. believe that the maneuvers last year did great good especially to the regu- lar army, but very little good to the militia. because so smnll a number of regiments In the different States took any part In them. Members of the mi- litia regiments make lheir living in private life. and cannot afford the time to go to distant parts of the country, even wher their expenses are paid: but under the State laws they do go into State encampments every years, and they can have two weeks of actual in- formation, instruction and drill for each of the brig des. under regular army officers, if we take the regular army to the States in place of trying to take the States to the regular army I believe this was of enough benefit last year to justify what we then expended. There Is nothing better offered for this year. The Committee determined that this was better than the ideas that I had on the subject" Mfr Young said: 'Tt is the intention os the War De- partment now to some extent to send regiments to State enLampments. That matter was gone over by Secretary Oli- yer in hts hearings before the Commit tee this year, and 1t Is said that that will be with no additional expense to the government The troops will be sent there and paid out Of the trans portation of the army"