Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-08-26
Militia Must Recruit to Its Full
Strength to Properly
ReorganiZe

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Although there is a movement
throughout the country to strictly en-
force the Dick law regulating the or
ganization of the national guard anC
combining the number of staff officers
to that absolutely necessary to con
duct the military business of state.
and territories, it appears that Ha
waif is strictly within its rights IL
maintaining it's present militia siaf
corps. 1t is held that officers on the
staff of the governors" are not con
sidered as part of the organized
militia in so far as the provisions O
the militia law are concerned. Ii
this respect Hawaii has conformet
for the last four or five years, as al
officers have either been members o.
line or staff corps.
Also, the local militia authorities
will have to recruit up to full regi
mental strength to effect an entire
Reorganization of the national guart
of Hawaii
Circular No. s, issued by the divi
sion of militia affairs, August /, 1913
shows that;
In accordance with the recent
ly announced intention of the
war department to exact great
er degree of conformity on the
part of the national guard with
the regular army, the division of
militia affairs has issued circu-
lar establishing more rigorous
standards of organization than
have existed heretofore.
Section 8 of the amended Dick
law provides:
"On and after January 81, 1900,
the organization /" of the or
ganized militia in the several
states, territories, and the Dis
trict of Columbia, shall be the
same as that which is now or
may hereafter be prescribed for
the regular army of the United
States, subject in time of peace
to such general exceptions as
may be authorized by the sec
rotary of war"
The circular says that "Exer-
cising the discretion thus vested
in him as to the general exemp-
tons in time of peace, and be-
lieying that a sufficient time has
now elapsed to enable the states
to more definitely conform in or
ganization to the regular army,
the secretary of war has" pre-
scribed the standards which are
set forth.
It is provided that in time of
peace the several states, terrific
ries and the District of Columbia
will be considered as territorial
militia departments, the respec-
tive governors and the command
ing generals of the District of Co
lumbia being, respectively, the
commander-in-chief of each.
These departments may have adj
ministrative stats. conforming in
size and personnel to the custom
of the war department in similar
cases in the federal. establish
ment, as indicated in this circu-
lar. From these staff depart
ments will be detailed the staff
officers for. tactical units as done
in the regular army"
The circular sets forth tables show
ing the appropriate organization o.
staff corps and departments of {
state or territory, all based on the
regular army standard with minol
notifications.
The divisional organization in
some of the states will be affected
by new rules. Army field service
regulations provide that division
shall consist of three infantry bri-
gades of three regiments each;
one regiment of cavalry, one bril-
gade 1.-TWO regiments) of field ar
.tillery, one pioneer battalion
(three companies) of engineers,
one battalion (two companies) of
signal corps. four field hospitals,
four ambulance companies, one
ammunition train, one supply
train.
Hawaii having less than a twelve
company regiment, will be required tt
organize the additional companies tt
make a full regiment, or to organize
the existing force as two separate bat
talions and one separate company. Eff
forts to organize other companies
have been slowly progressing in the
guard, but no complete new organiza
tions have been mustered in.
The provisions of the circular take
effect on January 1, 1914, and show
that if at any time the number Of
companies in a complete regiment
falls below twelve Exclusive of the
machine gun company, the deficiency
must be replaced within six months
or the regimental organization be con
sidered permanently abandoned. the
officers and enlisted men of the regi
mental headquarters, the headquar
tiers detachment, the mounted scouts
and orderlies, machine gun company
the band, and one battalion head
quarters being mustered out, or other
wise disposed of.
The organization of the staff corps
and departments of the organized mil.
tia of a state or territory should be
commensurate with the organization
of the tactical units of the organized
militia of the state, and the number
and rank OF the officers of the admin.
istrative staff corps and departments
should be sufficient (a) to carry on
in the state or territory both in times
of peace and war the proper military