Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-14
NATIONAL GUARD CON.
vENTI0N AT BOSTON;
Delegates From Almost Every State,
With Army Officers plans For Ex-
tending Idea Of Dick Bill.

teer and regular forces and complete
| financial provision for the militia by
the federal government, were received
with applause from the delegates.
The United States has never had a
military policy until war came" declar-
ed Gen. Drain. Even in war tremen-
dons losses have been suffered before n
suitable policy was snelted out by the
fierce battle heat" While such policy.
or lack of policy, had fortunate proven
favorable in the past modern conditions
necessitated change. Wars of TODAY
are more apt to last seven months than
seven years, he continued, land the need
of quick action in a crisis is Imperative.
Ever: so, there is no need for the United
States 10 maintain a large standing army.
She could well have larger number of
trained officers than are now ayaiIa BILE
but her chief reliance must be put upon
he militia. Not the militia of the old
days. not the minute man who was part
Of no fixed and permanent organization,
not the organized militia Of today. stronc.
and efficient as it is in certain localities
and organizations. but dependence must
be placed on all organized force, a ma
tipIi'ti rStttiu III ldCt dS well DIS Ill name,
which rs it stands is immediately avail
able at the order Of the President of the
United States upon the outbreak of war.
armed. uniformed and equip
ped properly trained and 100 per cent
efficient.
Under tie old system there being an
entire lack OF support by the federal gov
crnment there grew up a series Of state
armies. a force which had no fixed sta
tus Increased national and state APP
preparations added Immensely to the clfi-
cheney of the organized militia but
spadeful Of earth has been turned where
the whole field must he ploughed.''
The report then made the recommended
tion3 given in last nights dispatches and
it was stated that the whole report had
been reviewed by officials of the war de-
partnent and had been accorded their
approval.
The appointment Of legislative, nominal
ton and finance committees and the cCm-
mittee on resolutions were made. all but
the finance committee being made up Of
representatives from each OF the state
delegations.
Assistant Secretary of War Oliver spoke
at length i'll description of the present
military organization of the country,
pointing out that the department of war
counted upon three distinct but closely
allied forces:
First, the regular army of few men
efficiently trained.
Second, the organized state militias OF
more men than the regular army bu.
moderately trained, and
Third. the unorganized militia Of about
II ,000.0O0 available men.
He declared that certain legislative
measures which had been proposed were
wholly unnecessary fol such provision
already stood on the statutes. In the
main he irtimated his approval of sug-
gcstions made in General Drains report.
A feature which he emphasized was
the need of annual mobilization of state
troops of certain sections of the country
at central points with the regular army
and that arrangements for such sudden
mobilization be made a permanent and
well understood SO that any body OF
state militia might know at all times thai
it was part of n specific division of
the army in case call for state troops
should be made.
The convention adjourned for the day
and delegates proceeded to luncheon at
the American House, where later in the
Continued on Page Two.)