The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-09-08
Uncle Sam to Improve National Guard
sodiery by the Organization
Of Second Field
Army.
IOWA IS INTERESTED
Officers and Men Will be Obliged to
Follow Same Rules Laid Down
for country's Regular
Troops.

Orders are expected from the war
department at Washington in the near
future looking to the organization Of
federal and Illinois and adjoining,
states national guard troops into the
second field army which will be
known as the Army of the Great
Lakes.
IL is proposed to have the militia or
CARNATIONS of all the states comprise
an integral part of several skeleton
held armies, which will be maintained
at high degree of efficiency, to be
ready to respond to an immediate call
for troops in event of war. These
armies, OF which the first already has
been organized in New England and
which includes the state troops of New
York, will be composed of three di-
visions, under the command of a ma
Jor general of the regular army, and
will include, besides staff organiza-
tions, the three principal wings of the
regular army.
VIII Be Regarded as Regulars.
After the national guard regiments
shall have been merged into the pro-
posed field armies. they will be no
longer known as militia but will be
designated as United States troops,
bearing, however, the designation OF
the various states to which they be-
long
Military men all over the country
are watching with keen interest the
experimental stages of the first field
army and are looking forward to an
early carrying out of the war DEPART
ment plan to raise the standard of the
countrys citizen soldiery to that of
regulars
| Anticipating organization of the
field army of the great lakes. Major
General Young, commanding the Iii.
nois National guard, has under serious
consideration drastic measures for
| betterment of the service to fully fit
1T for duty IN the proposed field army.
Edurance Tests Planned.
/ 1t is expected that staff and line Of
ficers alike will be subjected to severe
endurance tests as to their physical
| fitness for military service. These
tests will continue sort of process
of elimination which will rid the SER
vice entirely of all officers physically
incapacitated to take the field IN actu-
al service at moments notice
While no order has been actually is
sued, 1t Is considered not unlikely
that all officers in the Illinois National
guard will some time this coming fall.
have to undergo tests identical with
those ordered by Colonel Roosevelt
shortly before the close of his term as
president.
All mounted officers will be EXPECT.
ed to ride ninty miles in three days
riding thirty miles in six consecutive
hours of each of the three DAYS Tn
mounted officers will be required to
walk distance of fifty miles in three
days.
Besides these tests all officers in
the national guard probably will be
subject to severe physical examination
by medical officers at least once each
| year to ascertain their condition with
/ reference to performance of hard mill
tary duty
Examinations Made Severe.
To that end that officers may be in
the best condition at all times 1t is
thought not unlikely that orders will
be issued that all engage in systemat-
/ ical physical exercise during a large
| part of the year.
For some time-in fact since the
/ Dick bill went into effect-there has
been decided effort on the part of
national guard officers In Illinois TO
raise the standard of physical con-
dition OF enlisted men. Enlistment
those ordered by Colonel Roosevelt
4 examinations have been made ex-
tremely severe, and no one who could
not pass without question the exam.
nations for enlistment in the regular
army is accepted.
But. while mental qualifications Of
officers have been increased, the ques-
ton of physical fitness has not entered
4 largely into the issuance of commits
gions and the continuance in service Of
those. already wearing shoulder straps