The Washington herald., 1908-01-13
IMPROVING OUR ARMY
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Something like 80 delegates are ex-
pected to participate In the work Of the
Interstate National Guards Association
which meets to-day in Boston. The dele
gates will be for the most part officers OF
the troops organized under State laws
and aided by the Federal government
along with representatives of the regular
military establishment Two measures OF
the greatest Importance to the national
lied militia, which were considered at the
executive committee meeting, viii engage
the best efforts Of the Boston militia con-
vention. The first measure provides for
the conformation OF State troops to the
regular army, and the second for obtain
ing from Congress enough money to prop
erly equip the troops and subsist them
when on duty.
The sentiment OF the executive COM
mittee is that the government ought 10
bear TIE expense incidental TO the con-
formation, such as canteens. Oyercoats,
&c, TO be supplied by the War Depart
meut Another item agreed upon is to
ask for the militia 30 per cent Of the
regular army allowance in ammunition
10 allow cooks attached TO State troops
TO attend the army cooking school, and
to ask Congress TO amend the militia law
so as to prohibit the wearing of the uni
form by unauthorized persons
The Boston convention viii probably
ask for an appropriation Of $4,000 for
the support of the militia, as that amount
was agreed upon by the executive com
mittee meeting. OF the present sppro-
priation Of 10000 the Secretary OF War
and camp purposes. and $4,000 for the
promotion Of rifle practice, including ex-
pense of target ranges and shooting gal
leries. What the government has done
for the militia may be easily stated in a
few words. What the militia has done
for the government can be told only in
many volumes Of histOry-yolumes red
with the blood Of patriots and respondent
with the glory Of the flag.
Such Presidents as Washington. Jeffer-
son, Madison, Adams, Jackson, and Van
Buren strongly urged the maintenance Of
an efficient militia The first act Of Con-
ELE-e 4tl BtAluiL VI TIE iAAAAilAeA ne-a IA AQf3
when an annual appropriation Of sos, ,009
was provided. This was increased 10
$4,000 in 1851. Although few subjects were
more frequently debated prior to the
civil war. it was not until after the war
with Spain that the Importance Of an
adequate support of the militia was real
lied. and then began the real progress
and the substantial naturalization Of
State troops. In 1900 the appropriation
was increased to S1,o00,o00, and In 1913 to
100000.
The annual report Of the adjutant gen
e-aI Of the army relative TO the militia Of
the United States for the fiscal year end
ed June %, 1907. shows that the regula
ti0ns for conformation. notably as TO
physical examination OF applicants for
enlistment in the organized militia, have
been adopted in most Of the States and
Territories. The exceptions are Alabama,
Arizona. Arkansas Delaware. District Of
Columbia, Illinois. Louisiana. Mississippi.
New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Utah. and Virginia. Most Of the non
report that the question will
be taken Up AT the next session OF their
legislatures
The Dick law provides that "the militia
shall consist Of every able-bodied male
citizen Of the respective States. Terri
tories, and the District Of Columbia, and
every able-bodied male Of foreign birth
who has declared his intention TO become
a citizen, who is more than eighteen and
less than forty-nve." The law divides the
militia into two classes-the organized
militia, OF national guard, and the re
serve militia" The number of organized
militia. as shown by the inspection Of
regular army officers IN the spring Of 1907,
was l05.Z3 OF this number, 1.l29 were
general officers and general staff. Los
engineers, 3,S07 cavalry, 5, ,454 field artillery,
liz machine gun batteries, IA coast artil-
lery. 902Jl infantry. 1,S5S hospital corps.
and LI20 signal corps, The reserves. or
males available for military duty Deem
Der 81, 1906, were I3S2l,696.
New York State alone had 1,407, $40
available males for military service-about
four times the number of American
troops in the Revolutionary war: three
States, New York, Ohio, and PennsyIva-
MIA. or Illinois, a number Of the militia
age and available equal to the popula-
ton of the American colonies engaged in
the Revolution. The eleven States which
seeded TO form the Southern Confed-
eracy now have a number greater than
the regulars and volunteers. all told. of
the United States in the civil war.
Yet since 1903, the year Of the enact
ment of the nationalized militia law.
there has been a 10 per cent decrease
in the total strength Of the organized
militia. The first year under the law
showed the total TO be 1850. or over
1,J00 more than IN 1907. The decrease is
attributed 10 the disbandment or re-
formation Of organizations that were re-
ported by inspecting officers TO be in
efficient. Citizen soldiers have found
that it is not all dress parade; that If they
are TO receive government aid and recog-
milton Of merit. their organizations must
achieve something more substantially
military than social distinction, picnic
and ballroom glory. Doting
beauty and military chivalry may not
dance together until stern duty be dis
charged by the conformers to the Dick
law.
The last annual inspections. as pro-
vided for, were made by ninety-nine reg
ular army officers detailed for the pUr-
pose. They began in January, 1897, and
were completed in June. These made an
exhibit as showing how nearly
the State troops are attaining to the ap-
proval of the regular military establish
ment A table is given for the States
and Territories and the District of Col11Yr
bia, which shows that there were absent
from the inspection 3O7 officers and 1883
enlisted men, or 14.& per cent out Of a
total organized strength of los. .2l3 In the
inspection Of 1906, out of total Of les, ,e93
officers aid enlisted men, 14S4 per cent
were absent. The percentage absent in
other years under the law was-l905. 1913
per cent; 1904. 20.1 per cent, and in 1908,
Pr q nar cent Ihasa Hazllras shnE- "a