Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-09-19


fewer and fewer citizens who are III
any way familiar with the use Of fire
arms. SO it is that the matter of our
citizen soldiery is one that is of the
greatest import, and the laws which
regulate the militia should be Of i'm
mediate concern to every citizen.
Primarily the organized militia is
a body of S ate troops. In forty-three
OF the states the militia is known as
the National Guard. In Arkansas and
Kentucky it is known as State
Guards, in Florida as State Troops
in Massachusetts as Volunteer Mill
tia, in Rhode Island as Militia and
in Kentucky as volunteers. These
bodies of citizen soldiery are organ
lied under state law upon the state
falls most of the expense for the
support OF it's troops. The state pro-
vides uniforms, equipment, tents and
many hundred smaller items that are
necessary to the soldier in the var
ious branches of the service 1t is
the state which pays the officers and
the state or a subdivision or the
men for special duties, and it is
state which provides the armorl1s III
which the guardsmen drill and III
which equipment is stored. Quite gen
orally the county is the particular
unit that constructs the armory, but
now some of the states are proYldlng
structures at state expense, notably
New York, which is building up an
unusually strong and effective Ma
tional Guard.
But, under the new law, the Ma
tional government has assumed
part of the burden and has in con
sequence secured some voice in the
management and control Of the
state militia. Under the federal law
the government distributes to tha
states $2,O00,000 for the militia and
States which accept this aid must
accept certain requirements and sub
NIT to the control of the War De
partment. Practically all of the states
have accepted federal aid and fed
eral control, South Carolina apparent
ly remaining as as exception. The mi
litia of a state which does not ac-
cept the provisions Of the Federal
Jaw is not organized"
The Federal Government prescribes
the system Of drill, which must con-
form to that of the regular United
States troops At least five consGcu-
tive days in each year must be deVo-
ted to encampment. Funds are dis
tributed among the states depending
on the number of organized troops
which the state has. The national
government supplies arms, ammuni-
tion belts, etc. Regular officers are
detailed to instruct and assist the
state troops Thus the organized
state troops are becoming in equip
ment and training uniform with the
regular army, and in effect a part
thereof.
The president of the United States
may call out the organized militia
to execute the laws Of the Union,
suppress insurrection, and repel in
yasion," as the Constitution provides.
Further, he is the exclusive judge as
to whether the conditions require that
The militia be called into the service
of the United States When called in
to the service of the United States
the President is commander-in-chief
of the militia and Congress has con
troll Of the state soldiers.
AT times when the militia is not
within the service Of the United
States the authorities are in control
The governor is generally commander
in-chief. Usually the power Of cali
ing out the militia to suppress dis
order and enforce the law within the
state rests with the governor, though
in a few states other officers have
this authority. Thus in Massachusetts
the mayor Of a city may call out the
militia to assist the civil authorities
in cases of local disorder.
The differing of the militia is with
in the control of the state govern
ment. Usually the members of the
company elect the company officers,
the line officers elect the field Off
GERS, and the field officers elect the
general officers. After being elected
they are usually examined and, if
competent, are then commissioned un-
der state authority. The non-cOmmis-
stoned officers are generally appoint
ed by the regimental commanders.
Anyone who is liable to military
service may enroll in the militia. The
enlistment of minors under eighteen
is apparently void. The enlistment
of young men over eighteen but I'M
der twenty is binding as against