The Washington herald., 1909-05-02
Draft OF Rules to Supplement
Present Law Completed.
CoURT-MARTIAL IS HELD
First Under Sew Orders Frees Five
GuRrdsmen, Four Of whom Are Ac-
Business Man shows Interest In
MiIitia-Battery Holds Smoker.

militia headquarters that the draft Of
the new regulations 10 supplement the re
Gently enacted militia law OF the Dis
trict is completed and has been submit
ted 70 the War Department After the
regulations are approved they VIII be
approved BY the President and viii be-
come a part Of the Law governing the
National Guard Of the District As they
have already been discussed informally
by officers OF the War Department and
militia headquarters. they probably Will
be approved promptly. with slight or per-
haps no alterations
As soon as the new regulations 20 into
effect nominations for staff and line or
cers, involving many changes and pro-
motions in The Guard. viii be submitted.
through the War Department. 70 the
President. who commissions all officers
Of the District Guard. The list has not
yet been made up, and nothing viii De
done on il until after the new regulations
become 4 law, after which the TeOrgan-
izatiCn OF the Guard wiIl be completed
quickly. so as 20 have everything running
smoothly before The brigade goes Into
camp next July.
First C0urt-martiRI Held.
The first court-msrtisI under the nss-
militia law was held last week. Mai
William E Harvey. sitting as A summary
court for the Second Regiment. tried Ave
men on charges involving absence from
ordered assemblies. IN four cases the
accused was acquitted. as Il was shown
conclusively that absence vas caused by
sickness Or other necessity" The fifth
case resulted in a conviction. the accused
admitting frankly that he had been sb-
sent because he belonged 70 q dancing
club which happened 20 meet on the
nights fixed for his military duty. He
was sentenced 20 pay 9ne Of g. for each
of the threc assemblies missed. The
ine VIII Be ,oIlected through the United
States marshal Tor the Dfstricr of Co
lumbis
Maj Richard D. Simms. commanding
the Second Regiment approved the md
ings Of the court. and IN commenting on
the trials, stated that il vas realized
that where a man was required TO work
AZ a time which interfered he should not
be punished for failure 20 perform his
military duty. as citizen soldiers have to
earn their livelihood. and the work OF
the guard should not be enforced 10 the
extent ot endangering a man loosing his
position.
Al the same time. he continued. q was
expected thar the men viii in good faith
perform their military duties when they
can and that hereafter men vii be ex-
pected 70 live Up 70 General Orders No.
s which requires them TO report when
they are employed IN such a way thar
e interferes with their military G-su
and 70 Eet permission from their CON-
mandinE officers when they are neces-
sarily absent
One Business Mans Interest.
One gratifying result OF the trials was
that the employer OF one OF the men xho
Rad 20 work al night. declared thst he
considered the mans work in the Guard
important 10 the community. and that
he would In future make arrangements
for a substitute clerk 10 take the place
os the Gusrdsmsn on drill nights. on
GERS in the Guard who heard OF this
we're enthusiastic in their praise of the
employer. and declared that this IS the
kind Of interest in the work Of the Na-
tionsi Guard which the business men or
Washington should take. and which will
contribute more than any thing else TO
the building up OF a National Guard
which VIII be credit 20 the District
Orders have been issued from head
quarters giving MAJ James Z Bell, in
spector general OF rife practice. general
supervision OF the small arms practice
in the camp OF instruction AZ Congress
Heights, which begins this week Lieuts
". Milton Fsrrow. George G. Dsnnison.
and Ralph Aide man. battalion inspectors
Of small arms practice. have been de-
tailed as bis assistants. each serving the
range for period Of two weeks The Of
Heers viii receive the pay OF their grades
corresponding 20 the regular army for the
number OF days Of duty actually per
formed by them on the range
Senatorial Trophy Match.
To facilitate selection OF the brigade
rife team Tor the present season. The
Senatorial trophy match viii be shot at
the rife range on Saturday. May =. and
Monday, MAY 81. II Is open 10 all COM
nlsSioned officers and enlisted men Of the
National Guard who have qualified as
cup. presented by twenty-one United
States Senators. and IS to be held by
the winner for one year he also viii re-
ceive a gold badge designating him as
champion rifieman OF the District OF Co
lumbia-' The eighteen contestants max
ing the highest score. with such other
officers and men as may be designated.
viIl be ordered TO continue practice and
take part in a subsequent competition.
when teams will be selected 10 represent
the National Guard Of the District in any
rife competitions which may be entered
IN during the year
Report of Encampment.
The report Of Liept. Col. William h
Cofin. Coast Artillery Corps. command
ing the District OF the Potomac. on the
encampment OF the District Guard ~
Forts Washington and Hunt las; summer
has been published by the War Depart
ment
From the start" the report declares.
the militia reserves were very attentive
and eager to learn. and the results ac-
complished were most satisfactory. All
regular officers on duty with the reserves
report most favorsbly OF the interest
manifested st all times by the militia,
their sagerness TO learn. their proficiency.
and the satisfactory results obtained"
Col. Conn recommended al the end OF
his report:
That infantry regiments be not sent
for instruction in coast artillery work
That q battalion. preferably & regi-
ment, Se organized in the militia Of the
District Of Columbia as coast artillery.
and that they alone be sent 10 the forts
In this artillery district for instruction
That attachments OF companies or
such organizations be sent TO the forts
at different periods throughout the year