The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-13
MILITARY CONGRESS
National Guard Association Opens in Boston for Three
 Days Session.
WILL SHAPE NEW POLICY
To Increase Efficiency and Effect a Closer Union of Amateurs With
 the Regular Army.

Boston, Jan. 12.-,At a congress of militia officers and men representing a national organized volunteer force of more than 100000 members, and an un- organized constituency of eleven mil- lion available men, to be held in this city during the next three days, ef- forts will b. made to accomplish a closer union of the amateur and pro- fessional old soldiers of the country and a greater working efficiency of the latter class; in short, to shape new military policy for the United states. Officers representing the war depart ment will also be present. The ocea- sion of the gathering Is the tenth an rual meeting of the National Guard as- sociation of the United States, and del- esates will be present from most of the states and territories and the Dis trict of Columbia. The convention will hc held tomorrow, Tuesday and We'd nesday in old Faneuil hall
 General Charles Dick. author of the bill bearing his name, under which the National Guard has been reorganized, and president of the association, will preside.
 Tho five years period within which the provisions of the bill were to op crate has elapsed and so active Is the demand for new legislation, that ,,,, la'o r, t,,,, .r. \. ing to the convention tomorrow with formal suggestions or resolutions ad- vocating more or less important chang es in the national laws Among such proposed changes one by General Charles A. Drain of New York, chair man of the executive committee of the National Guard association, will prob- ably he among the first and most i'm portant to which the convention will give consideration. He will suggest that the National Guard, at the out break of war be passed from state to federal control, except as to the com mander- chief, and that 1t be part of the first line with the regular army, ready for immediate service in war whenever the president might wish to use it and for as long as the then ex- isting enlistments of the men should endure.
 "The adoption of such a system would not only give to the United States an addition to It's first line of defense of a trained army of some l50,- 900 men. but it would insure in the states force of internal use adequate for every emergency. This would be peace strength. War strength would men would like to learn to do their duty as volunteer soldiers in time of war and go out as such when war came, but wno have no desire for per- manent military service. Thirty states and territories and the District of Co., lumbia will be represented with total of 142 delegates, and,' he added, that only two states-South Dakota and JJtah--had sent definite word that they would not be represented. Alaska and Indian territory have no organized militias. although provision is made for such bodies If need arise.
 The delegates will direct their at tention closely to the Dick bill This bill. it is believed, will be modified along these lines That the war de- partment having power" to organize and provide for the National Guard, should be made financially responsi- ble for the maintenance of it to the extent of equipping it, free of cost to the state, with arms and uniforms and stores