The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-02
THE MILITIA BILLS.

The militia bills that are pending IN
the present Legislature are being
pretty thoroughly threshed out in com
mittee. The National Guard officers are
present at the hearings. and give all
needed explanations of the various pro.
visions incorporated IN the measures.
Four of these bills are pending, all de
signed to strengthen the Utah National
Guard and 10 provide au armory where
the public arms can be cared for and
stored and where the guard organiZa
tions can meet for drill and training
it Is clearly incumbent upon the
State, if it is going to have a National
Guard at all, TO have one that will be
serviceable in time Of need, a real sol
diery. For, an unsorviceable force it is
absurd TO maintain. The public wants
value for the money it pays; and If II
is going to pay to maintain National
Guard. it should have n National Guard
fit for duty and available for any emcr-
gencies that the State may be obliged
to face.
1t is for the purpose of thus bring
ing the National Guard into serviceable
condition that these bills are urged
upon the Legislature. The national
legislation upon the army and the mill.
tia of the different Safes brings the reg
ular troops into contact with the Ma
tional Guard in all the States. with the
result that a higher standard is set,
and a greater efficiency is put before
the militia to work up to. Accordingly
the State forces very naturally wish TO
place themselves more in accord with
the better training and the keener mill
tary spirit and effectiveness of the reg
ular army. The national legislation in
this respect has had an excellent effect
upon the militia forces of all the States.
That was the design Of this legislation,
and il has acted as expected.
The basic idea of having n State Ma.
tional Guard, especially since the enact
mcnt Of the national legislation offer
ing the regular army example and con
tact to pattern upon, has been to make
more certain the efficiency of the mill
Ild, anu put IL III CpH'llllOn LUZ dCludi
field service in case Of call The idea
is that the national army is a nucleus
around which the National Guard of the
different States would rally in case of
sudden call for peremptory service The
regular army is of force nominally of
about $4,000 men. But by reason of the
fact that 10000 of this force is in the
coast artillery, considerable numbers in
the Philippines and on detached service
of various kinds, there has been little
opportunity to give any military com
mander the opportunity for the cXer-
cIse of military forces on a large scale.
Military officials hope that this diff
Guilty can be cured to some extent, at
least, by the incorporation of the mill
tia of the States with the regular army
in the field maneuvers that are held
from time to time. But in order for
the militia TO be available or useful i'm
such training. it. has to be in n condi-
tion Of fitness, and sufficiently instruct.
ed to comprehend at least. the ee
mentary principles. the manual of arms,
preliminary drill, and understand com,
mands as gwen,
Utah should not be backward in
meeting the requirements of the ma
tional legislation in this respect. The
National Guard Of Utah should be in as