Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-10
UTAH GUARD TO
Be AT THE TOP
General Wedgwood Plans to
Greatly Increase Its
Efficiency.
INSPECTION COMES IN MARCH
Adjutant General Says Marked I'm.
provement VIII be Noticed When
Annual Event Occurs.

General E. A. Wedgwood. adiutant
general ofthe National Guard OF Utah
has entered upon constructive plans
for increasing the numerical efficiency
of the state forces and upon the ar
rival Of Jan. 21, the date when the
recent legislation passed in Coneresa
known popularly as tho "Dick bill"
is effective, he expects to have the
militia or Utah up to a standard that
Will compare favorably with the best
in the other states. General Wedgwood
for some time past has been working
out plans Tor betterment all along
the line. consulting with both regular
army officers and those of experience
in the national guard. Just what gen.
eral scheme has been determined upon
ne declines to state at this time. but
declares with somo emphasis that
when the annual inspection Is made
probably in March of this year the
government will find that great ad-
rances have been made in tho last
year. General Wedgweod SAYS that the
reports made following the inspection
OF last year by Major ]. NJ. Arrasmith
Fifteenth infantry. the inspector, were
very satisfactory, the general efficiency
OF the Utah troops being shown as
very high. There were some weak spots
revealed by the inspection and the re-
port In this respect, General Wedr-
wood believes, has been q valuable in
dlcation as to what is most needed In
acquiring greater efficiency Taking
the report as an Index, the construc-
tive plans In great measure have been
directed by IT -
FIXES RESPONSIBILITY
General Wedgwood issued a circular
this morning expressing in a general
way his plan The placing of respon
sibllity is indicated in the following
language: .'7
1T is hoped that the general stand
ing of the guard OF this state NAV be
advanced during tho coming year In a
marked degree. No reason exists wby
It should not stand at the head OF the
list of states so far as organization.
equipment. efficiency and discipline is
concerned. The foundation of excel
lence In all points is organization and
responsibility not merely in theory.
but in actual everyday practise.
section "a of the military laws of the
state, relates to organization and
responsibility and is published for the
information of all:
Sec. "a. Responsibility of Com
manding Officers. The commanding
officer of infantry shall be responsible
to the governor for the general eff
cheney OF the National Guard, and for
the drill instruction. inspection, small
arms end artillery practise, move
ments, operations, and care of troops
All other commanding officers
shall be responsible to their Immediate
commanders for the equipment, drill,
OF fT~lrN ~ lon ax@1 ALL
spectiye commands.
Every commissioned officer and en-
listed man shall be responsible to the
officer under whose immediate com
mand he serves for prompt and un-
hesitating obedience, military deport-
ment. efficiency and the preservation
and proper use of the property of the
United States. of the state, or of the
organization to which he belongs,
which may come into his possession
1T will be noted that the responai-
bility OF commissioned and non-com-
missioned officers differ only in de-
gree. The best results cannot be OBJ
tained unless all non-commissioned Of
ficers have thorough understanding
of and fully perform their duties, and
unless the men in the ranks fully
recognize the standing and RESPONSE
bility of the non-commissioned officers.
This Is the first step in the line of
progress.
"a copy of this circular will be post
ed In company quarters and company
commanders will cause the same to be
read to the men of their command and
give all proper instructions in relation
thereto"
COMPANY A DEFUNCT
Company A. formerly stationed at
Nephi. has been declared officially de-