The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-06-23
MILITIA AND THE ENcAMPMENT.

maneuYerS only $l7,OOO, which sum
viii be wholly inadequate to cover
the cost Of a trip to American Lake,
such as has been planned. The Mon
tana national guard, however, will re-
ceive $4,000 more under the provi-
sions Of the Dick bill, which will make
q total Of $4,000, which the federal
government will give the state militia
OF Montana. 1t would take this sum
and considerable more; according to
one Of the state officers Of the guard,
to cover the cost OF attending the en-
Ecampment at American Lake.
Some Of the officers OF the guard
are in favor Of using the money re-
ceiyed for maneuver purposes for ~
state gun shoot at Fort Harrison at
which a team could be chosen to at
tend the national gun shoot at Camp
Perry, Ohio, and then go to the shoot
at Seagirt. The funds, which the
guard will have, will not permit at
tending the encampment at American
Lake and also sending q team to the
national gun shoot, as was done last
year.
II the trip to American Lake is
taken, some OF the officers assert that
the national guard would return with
its treasury depleted while II only
the shoot at Fort Harrison is held
there will be money left in the funds
Of the national guard. General Al
derson himself asserts that he ques-
tons whether the benefits to be de-
rived from attending the encampment
at American Lake are s%ufRcient to
warrant the enormous expense re-
CURED for transportation.
For the benefit Of the militiamen In
Billings and members Of the Second
Regiment band, who have been look,
ing forward to the encampment at
American Lake, The Gazette yester-
day confirmed these facts in q tele.
phone conversation with Adjutant
General Anderson at Livingston. His
statement would indicate that 1t is
highly improbable that the national
guard OF Montana will participate in
the encampment at American Lake,
though a final decision in the matter
has not yet been reached. It is to be
hoped, however, that the officers Of
the guard will find some way out Of
the dilemma, by which the guards
men can attend the encampment and
also hold the regular gun shoot at
Fort Harrison.
Since the enactment Of the Dick
law and the passing Of the national
guard of the nation under supervision
Of the war department the state mill
tia OF the different states has become
to all intents and purposes a national
reserve force, thoroughly prepared at
a moments notice to take the field In.
defense Of the nations honor. It az
fords a body Of trained soldiers, sew
eral hundred thousand strong, availa-
bic to defend the country. There has
been a decided improvement in the
standard of military efficiency re-
quired by the national guard in the
past few years. It's rules and regu-
lations are now as strict as those Of
the regular army.
The thoroughness OF the drill re-
CURED in the state militia now may
be ascertained by attending one of
the weekly drills of the local COM
pany K Of the Montana national
guard. 1t is considered to be one Of
the efficient companies Of the state
militia in Montana. Captain Paul
McMormick and Lieutenant Neill, who
have worked indefatigiably to bring it
to a condition Of perfection in drill.
deserve much Of the credit for its ef-
1ciency. It will be a disappointment
to them and to their company II the
Montana national guard does not par.
ticipate in the encampment at Amer
4Cdn Lake, II WOulO IuTul6u luSLTuC.
ton in army maneuvers, such as the
men could secure in no other man
ner.
There is a possibility that when
the matter is presented to the war
department, it can be induced to
grant a larger sum than he's been APP
portioned to the Montana militia, but
as the amount appropriated by con-
gress proved insufficient to meet the
desires OF the department omcials in
respect to appropriations for national
guards it is highly improbable that
relief be a%scertained from that
source.
And, should a lack OF funds pre-
vent the state militia from taking the
long trip to Washington to participate
in an encampment some effort should
be made to have encampments in
Montana, where the expense would
mot be SO great.