The Washington times., 1908-12-26
Chief of State Guards Saws,
However, There Is Too
Much Society.
EQUIPMENT HERE
VERY INADEQUATE
Urges, in Annual Report, More Eff
ficient Cavalry Force and
Signal Corps.

The District of Columbia has a large
and efficient militia compared with the
States and Territories. according to the
first annual report OF Lieut.. Col.
Erasmus Weaver, chief Of the division
of militia affairs OF the War Depart
unent. made public today.
In the hrst place the militia force of
the United States is but 1lO163 out Of "A
total of 1876. oil males available for
military service. The District supplies
1.4sZ officers and men out OF the 67.65i
males available for service, now the
highest percentage of enrolment of any
State or Territory. This number, be
sides. does not include 265 officers and
men Of the Naval Battalion.
Colonel Weaver, though hopeful, finds
that many things are the matter with
the militia. In general he finds that the
most serious difficulty is that too much
attention is paid 10 the social end and
too little to the military.
Inefficiency Too Common.
or this he says:
The word militia In the past has
too often been synonymous with mill
tary inefhciency.' This has been
largely due, it is believed, to the made
quate and ineffective laws, both State
and national. The means for the sup
port of the militia have. in some States.
been meager 10 a point that made ef-
fieiency impossible. and served directly
or indirectly TO belittle the proper mill
tary objectives of militia organizations
and to make Unduly prominent, and oft
paramount. club and social features OF
these orgs nizations-
In some OF the regiments OF some of
the States the balance Of relations be-
tween military and social objectives
seems 70 be all that is desired In other
regiments in these States, and in all
OF the forces of some of the States, the
main objective appears still to be a So
cisI one. The chief problem, therefore,
that confronts the War Department
rests, it is believed, in using its infiu-
ence, in so far as authorized by law. TO
assist the military authorities OF the
States, by advice and suggestion, IN
modifying these social and military re-
lationS among the organized militia" ="
District Militia Complimented.
Colonel Weaver compliments the Dis
trict Guard for efficiency, and makes
some very pointed remarks about Con
gress at the same time.
He says OF conditions in the District:
''The arrnory Of the First Separate
couraging. The armory is used by al
The militia organizations of the Dis
trict. Each unit is badly In need OF
room by itself, or the quarters should
be enlarged for proper accommodation
OF all. There is one coal stove on the
second floor Of the three-story building
and that is the only heating plant
The guns are stored on a cement fool
like a very small fire-engine room
IT is incompreheasibIe how organiza,
lions under Federal control and within
few hundred yards of the War De
psrtment can be allowed to suffer anC
grope along with most disgracefully
discouraging armory accommodations
not even decent quarters for the men.
Facilities at Armory.
The main armory is over a Iarg,
market called the Center Market. and
the armory is called the Center Marke
Armory. The drill hall has an area ol
200 by 500 feet. The Second Regiment
the band. corps OF field music, the sig
nal corps. and ambulance corps have
their quarters in this armory- EacI
company is furnished with an assembly
r. ON and a smaller room for the lock,
ers- There are also a range for gallery
practice. a gymnasium, and storerooms
for public property
The First Battalion, First Regiment
has moved from the armory under
Chase's Theater to the southwest corner
Of Ninth street and PENNSYLVANIA ave.
nue., where the companies have rooms
They drill in the drill hall OF the Cen.
ter Market Armory-
The armory Of the First Separate Bat
talon is situated at the corner ot
Twelfth and L streets. Each COMPANY
has an assembly and locker room com.
bined- There is a small drill hall il
The basement, a part of which is parti
TONED off for a storeroom.
The armory Of the First Battery
Field ARTILLERY, Is building large
enough to store the guns, caissons. har.
ness. and other equipment, and DroL,id,
rooms.
"AII buildings used as armories ar,
rented and fall far below the actual re
quirements. The guard deserves mucl
credit for the excellent standing h
maintains in such insufficient accom-.
Inodations.'
Signal Department Neglected.
Among other things Colonel Weaver
suggests more efficient cavalry ,lrgapi
nations and signal corps among the ma
uonal guards.
AN analysis OF the personnel problem
OF large field army for the United
States reveals clearly the fact that tn,
force of regular signal troops will b,
far Inadequate to provide proper mum
bers 70 install and use the signal EQUIP
ment requisite on the outbreak OF war
The Chief Signal OFFICER estimates tha
there should be a force Of approximate
~ 100 signal troops among the organic
ed militia OF the several States. Their,
are at present but Seventy-six officer.
and approximately Loo enlisted men Il
the organized militia. 1t is recommend
ed that the department bring this ques
tion, in a special way. 10 the attention
of the State authorities and urge tha
steps be taken 10 meet the deficienc,
which has been so clearly indicated b,
the Chief Signal Officer"
Watch for a city-RandIe Highlands
-Advt.