Evening journal., 1908-12-29
STATE MILITIA
IS REORGANlZED
Not a Part Of Regular Army,
But Gets Government
Help

Adjutant General 1. Pusey Wicker.
sham Of the Organized Militia of,Del-
aware, to-day corrected the impression
that all the State guards will become
part of the regular army after Janu
airy p, 1910. Under the Deck act.
passed by Congress on May 27. 1908. il
is provided that all the state National
Guards must conform with the regular
army regulations by 1910 to obtain tho
usual appropriations. It is this pro-
vision of the law. General Wickersham
says, that has given the idea that the
militia is to become a part of the
army. So far as possible the Della
ware regiment has conformed with the
new law, General Wickersham said.
The effect of the new law is summed
up by Secretary of War Luke L.
Wright as follows:
1.-THE call Of the President will. of it.
self, accomplish the transfer Of the or
ganized militia from the State relations
to Federal relations. The militia so
called forth becomes at once a part OF
the army Of the United States, and the
President becomes its commander-in-
chief 1t is. therefore, as completely
under the orders of the President and
as completely serviceable, both as to
time and place, as the regular army"
After January p, 1910. the fixing OF
the organization, armament and disci-
pline of the organized militia will be
the same as that Of the regular army,
providing that the organized militia
shall be called in time of emergency
into the service of the United States
in advance of the volunteer force. The
Secretary of War will have authority
and financial means to provide for the
participation of any part of the organ
I lied militia in joint encampment ana
field instruction with any part of the
regular army.
He can open service schools Of the
regular establishments to the officers
and enlisted men OF the organized mili-
tia and require that every company
troop and battery of the organized
militia participate each year for at
/ least five consecutive days I'm practice
marches or camps of instruction. and
/ assemble for drill and instruction in
company. battalion or regimental
/ armories or rendezvous, or for target
practice not less than twenty-four
times in order to be entitled to the
use of funds allotted to the States"
Under the Revised Statutes as
amended, the Secretary of War is
authorized on the application of Gov
ernor of any state to detail officers 10
attend encampments of the organized
militia, and to detail officers and en-
listed men to report for duty.
"The conditions established by thi.
new legislation" says Secretary
Wright. make it possible for the first
time in the history of the United
states to prepare in time Of peace =
scheme Of organization of all organized
land forces with a view to immediate
mobilization of such forces on the out
break of war The working out of th'
plans of mobilization wiil make it pos
sible to avoid the confused condl
tions which have in the past character
lied the initial periods of some wars
1t is expected that the new conditions
will lead to the establishment of mobil
ization plans so complete that, on tn
outbreak of war, it will be necessary
simply to open reserve depots of sup
plies and 10 call the troops to thei
respective colors.
"There are at present approximate!
111,0OO officers and men in the organ
lied militia. IT is considered tina
about 75 per cent. Of this number woul'
respond to a call to arms. and of TIN
number responding a small percentage
would be eliminated probably by ply
sical disqualihcations. 1t is estimated
that little more than 60 per cent.-tha
is, about G7,000-would be available a
present in case of an emergency"