The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-03-16
For Better Cooperation and
to Improve National De-
fense a New Army Policy
Has Been Formulated.
COUNTRY IS DIVIDED
INTO DISTRICTS NOW
And for Each District, Guards
men Regiments and Certain
Regular Regiments Assigned
for Duty.
(American News Service)


Washington, d. c., March 16-One
of the most important orders in con-
nection with the National Guard ever
issued by the War Department, has
just been promulgated. 1t is the first
pronounced step in the formulation of
the military policy of the United States
and it's naturalization and realization
are largely due to the work of Secreta-
ry of War Dickinson.
In his last annual report, Secretary
Dickinson said: The Military system
of the United States contemplates a
correlation of the Regular Army with
the National Guard. 1t necessarily
follows that the organization of the
Regular Army and the militia in COM
bination should be such as to permit
them to cooperate and practice to-
gether in time of peace under condi-
tions similar to those which would OBJ
tain in time of war" Continuing,
the secretary recommended that the
United States should be divided into
territorial and tactical districts so that
the organized militia of the states COM
prising the districts might be conven-
iently combined with the regular
army stationed therein into perma-
nent brigades, divisions and corps for
instruction and tactical orgaization.
Divided into Districts.
In accordance with the plan proposed
has been divided into eight parts, each
with D. central point for eentratfon.
The consent of the governors has been
sought and one division has been Or
ganized. 1t will be known as the
First Field Army and includes the
states of Maine, New Hampshire, Ver-
mont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut and New York. 1t will
consist of three divisions each with
three brigades of infantry, cavalry.
field artillery, engineers, signal corps,
ambulance companies and field hospit-
ais.
Each regiment of the National Guard
has been assigned to place in one of
the three divisions, and the regular
troops have been assigned according to
the stations. Thus the regiment sta
toned at Fort Porter, Buffalo, will
always be in the first brigade of the
first division of the first field army.
as long as this order stands, no mat
ter what regiment is stationed at Fort
Porter.
Another departure is the designation
of the cavalry composed of the regular
and national guard, as the National
Cavalry" and the field artillery as the
National Field Artillery" when CON-
posed of regular and national guard ar
tillery combined.
The Coast Artillery.
Coupled with the organization of the
First Field Army, is the announcement
of the assignment of the coast artillery
companies of the national guard to the
stations where they will serve in time
of war Because of the difficulties in
the way of target practice at certain
forts, theassignment is in some cases
of a temporary character, but as far as
possible, the companies have been as
signed to the batteries which they will
handle or support if war should break
out On account of the present state
of organization and instruction of the
coast artillery reserves, it is consider
ed best that they should be linked with
the regular companies as far as prac-
ticable. Under the order, every coast
artillery reserve company is assigned
to some fort and battery except the
Texas Corps, the Sixth and Seventh
companies in California and the Fifth
company, in the state Of Washington.