The San Francisco call., 1908-11-22
ARMORIES NEEDED
FOR STATE TROOPS
Major Wilhelm Urges Active
Campaign to Secure ApprO-
priatiOns From Legislature
Businessmen Asked TO Build
Drill Sheds for the National
Guard Where Required

and chairman of the committee on re-
vision Of the guard laws for California,
sai6 LIST week that he would like to
see the legislature of the state make
provision TO secure creditable armories
for the different companies throughout
the state.
The subject OF suitable armories,
said the major. lis "A more important
one than the people think There is a
vast quantity Of national and state
property in the custody of individuals
VINO are unable to store it properly
because there are no appropriate and
safe places for that purpose. Califor-
mia is one Of the few states that are
not provided with armories or build
fngs suited to military purposes Great
efficiency can hardly be expected from
troops that have no suitable rendez-
svous for instruction and no suitable
place in which TO care for property
Many OF the SO called armories IN TINS
state have been either store houses or
private residences iRdiherently recon
strUcted and arranged for the COM
panies that occupy them.
The state ought TO provide armories
OF such size as will permit of COM
panies being drilled as they should be-
AS il is now, drill in extended order
must be conducted on the public street
.anc that is very unsatisfactory for the
.reas on that the officer who is putting
the men through their PAGES has not
the opportunity, on poorly lighted
street TO note If commands are prop
eriy obeyed.
IT tha state will not furnish such
7armnries the people Of the several To-
cslities. where companies Of the guard
are located. ought to erect a drill hall
mot less than so feet front by depth
eof 100 or more. Such halls need not
be expensive concerns, but should have
a good floor and shelter against the
elements. There the men could be
properly instructed.
1T would pay the citizens Of each
place where there is a company of the
guard to contribute for the erection of
such hall. 1t need not be in the i'm
mediate vicinity of what is now used
as an armory. but could be located
some distance away and the going and
coming would be in the nature of a
first class practice march for the men.
The businessmen of the several
places wnere there are companies OF
the guard should get behind the COM
mittee that is going TO ask the state
10 provide armories and help them. II
they fail at the coming session Of the
legislature TO secure armories. they can
try again. but in the meantime they
should provide drill halls"
The annual muster and inspection of
the various organizations of the ma
-tionsl guard of the state viii COM
'mence January >. starting from oak
land and going northward. The reason
Yer this is that Major Wilhelm. the in
-specting officer and chairman Of the
committee that has revised the laws
for the guard, desires to. be within
easy reach Of the legislative military
committees in. case it becomes neces-
sary for him to explain things.
Company .. Second regiment Cap
tain A. 3. Shippey. has started cam
paign for members with the idea Of
bringing the company up to the maxi
mum Of membership. The officers have
each offered a prize to the member of
the company who shall produce and
have enlisted the greatest number Of
recruits before the close Of the year.
= Captain Shippey has appointed Ray
eJordan. Ernest Miller and Frank Knox
= committee to arrange for target con-
sIests between the shooters of the COM
.pany and those Of the two companies
rof Fresno. The one at Bakersfield and
-the one at Hanford also TO get UP a
baseball and football team. It is pro-
posed TO have its set Of baseball fans
play one from the Mount Whitney power
Company on Thanksgiving day and to
.llave a kicking match with the Selma
rootball team on New Years day.
Tho company will give military ball
eon the eve Of Thanksgiving.
Company r. Second infantry, Captain
.. q. Lee. located at Woodland. has
been ordered by the war department
TO send measures for 20 khaki uniforms
for the men. These are to replace the
old ones that have done service for
many years
Company p. Fifth infantry. Captain
y. H. Farrell San Jose. is soon to be
FURNISHED with new service uniforms
made Up in the style prescribed by the
army regulations. The company is to
receive 40 complete suits.
Last Sunday the officers Of the COM
pany and several members went on a
practice ride, so as to be in condition
ia case there might be an order for the
soficers and some orderly to take a so
mile endurance ride, as the regulars
were recently required to take in order
TO prove physical endurance.
Last week the company had q smoker
and stag party in the armory 1t was
ATTENDED by a numebr of young men,
who were advised TO join the guard.
There have been a number of dis
charges from the company since the re-
turn from camp. The vacancies will
sbe filled with men on the waiting list
Major II. G. Mathewson, commanding
the third battalion OF the Fifth infan-
stry. lectured before the officers of that
Battalion Friday night in the head
qua rters Of the Nationals" at 1850
Eddy street. He spoke Interestingly on
'military law and Of the duties OF off,
GERS under that law, giving his hearers
much TO think about.
II is not generally known that the
Dick bills. which provides that the ma
stional guard organizations OF the sew
.eral states shall be governed by laws
which will make them the first re-
serve 70 the regular army, Will destroy
r1hc ambition OF individuals who seek
TO shine in military affairs without
having had the experience to enable
aEbem to do so.
At one time. when there was call
for volunteers. any one who was popu-
BAR enough to get up a company OF
tkrOlunteers. a battalion or a regiment
could. as a reward for such service be
commissioned a colonel or major or cap
tain. irrespective Of the fact that he dio
not know the difference between com