Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27

~ are at nand all work IN DiStTlCt
~ National Guard circles is at
standstill. which condition will
prevail until January 4, when
the drill and practical instruction in the
armories will be resumed. Considerable
interest is being manifested by the
guardsmen in the changes slated for the
Naval Battalion and also in the new
course of instruction which Commander
Stratton is going to adopt on the resump
ton of drills.
In general orders issued from militia
headquarters instructions are given for
the preparation of pay rolls for the
guardsmen other than the Naval Battalion
for the periods from July 1 to p and
from August 10 to December 81, 1908, in
elusive.
Pay rolls for the Naval Battalion will
be prepared for six months less the num-
Der of days devoted to practice cruise,
July II to ~. 1908, both dates inclusive
Battalion commanders will furnish cap
tains of companies lists giving absentees
from the different sessions for theoretical
instruction over which they preside.
On account of the reduced number of
drills and armOry exercises required of
the land forces for the period from July
men of the land forces absent from
drill, parade or other military exercise,
with Or without leave. will be regarded as
delinquent. and fined ten days pay for
each absence.
Officers uon-commissioned officers and
selected privates absent from sessions for
theoretical instruction prescribed in gen
eral orders from headquarters ten days
pay for each absence
Failure to report on the target range
and fire the scores prescribed for marks
mans qualification during d target season,
forfeiture of one months pay. to be de-
Quoted on the December pay roll.
Duplicate pay rolls Will be forwarded 10
regimeutal headquarters not later than
January /. 1863. Regmenta! command
ers will verify and initial the same, and
then send them to headquarters.
What are the schools. colleges and uni
versities of the United States doing in
the way of military training for the
American youth? is a question in which
not only the War Department but the
National Guard. IS greatly interested.
Approximately 100 institutions of learn
ing have attached to them army officers
on either the active or retired list. Dur
ing 1908 the department went to much
trouble to ascertain what was being ac
complished by these officers and how far
they were being assisted by the faculties
of the institutions where they were sery-
ing. Reports we're received from each Of
the officers detailed. and each institution
was inspected by officers assigned to the
duty In addition. statistics were COM
piled in respect to the government aid
enjoyed by certain colleges, so that the
whole gives the general staff very fair
idea of Just what the government is get
ting In the shape of military training in
return for what II is doing for these in
situations of learning.
The details of the inspections will not
be made public, but the general staff is
expected to have something to say on the
subject when the reports are thoroughly
digested. Most of the colleges and uni
versities receiving government aid pay
attention to their military department, but
very few are equipped for rifle practice
on which the department is growing more
insistent. Again and again the inspectors
report the absence of rifle ranges out OF
practice as well as the antiquated equip
ment of rifles with which the students are
supplied. AS an example of the condi-
tons prevailing the case of southern
college is cited. The institution receives
an annual appropriation of S51, 146 1t
has no gallery range, but has an outdoor
range available at 200 and 500 yards, but
has only one target for its so students
In contrast with these is report from |
another southern institution which alb |
breviated, is as follows, the name Of the ]