Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-07-06
Secretary Of War Tells Why
Appropriation for State
Guard is Withdrawn.
SHORTAGE OF $4,000
Officials of State Guard Can Account
for $4,000 and Old Claim
Will Not BE Pressed.

Little Rock, July Mot because OIL
the failure of the Arkansas General
Assembly to make an appropriation
for the maintenance of the State
Guard. but because the guard has
permitted so much of the government
supplies to disappear, is given as the
reason why the government has
withdrawn it's support from the
guard in letter received by Gov.
JIM. Futrell Saturday from Lindley
M. Garrison, secretary OF war.
Officials of the guard state that
they have been able to reduce the ap-
parent shortage of $4,000 to $4,000
through the calling in of rifles in the
hands of schools of the state, of the
equipment of the Sloan Springs COM
pany, which was disbanded, and sup
plies issued to the officers. The
equipment Of the State rifle ranges is
also included.
..The inspecting officer did not see
thees things, and could not give us
credit for them" stated Major Eugene
b.. Jett today after the letter from
Secretary Garrison had been receiv-
ed by Governor Futrell. General
Green went to Washington with cred
its amounting to fully $3S,000, and we
fell that when these are presented the
War Department will feel more kindly
toward the Arkansas Guard and will
again permit the appropriation for
Arkansas.
.aThe old claim of $115,o0o dates
back to 1870, and comes up to 1900.
We have the word of the secretary Of
war that claim will not be held UP
against us, and we are confident Of
still further reducing the other claims
Through the getting in of the property
or through the board of surveys"
The letter from Secretary of War
Garrison is as follows:
War Department.
Washington, July l, 1918.
Hon. j. M, Futrell, Acting Governor
Of Arkansas, Little Rock.
MY Dear Governor Futrell-An ad-
ministrative scrutiny of the federal
inspection reports of the organized
militia; Of the State of Arkansas, and
the reports of United States. property
in the hands of the same,- hass~ js,st
been completed, and as result sof
this scrutiny the following action of
the War DEPARTMENT in connection
with the continued withholding from
your state of federal funds appropri-
ated under the militia law is commu
nicated to your excellency.
AS long ago as 1907 the condition
Of the United States property in the
hands of the organized militia of Ar
kansas was found to be unsatisfac-
tory, From inspection reports and
ether sources of information the War
Department became cognizant OF the
fact that many thousands of dollars
worth of United States property had
been given away, lost, destroyed OF
stolen, and this through neglect on
. the part Of the state authorities. The
matter became so serious that the
secretary of war finally addressed
letter to the chairman of committee
on militia, House of Representatives,
stating that this, the most fragrant
case that had ever come before the
War Department, was one in which
the loss was due to the most repre-
hensible neglect and that the value
of the proptry, which had now risen
to the sum Of $4,000, would have
10 be charged against the allotment
of the state unless Congress should
grant relief. Congress refused to
grant relief in this case, and accord
ingly, property to the value of sl1o,-
600 stands charged to the governor OF
the State of Arkansas at the present
time
While the facts as set forth above
demonstrated the most culpable neg
lect in the matter of caring for gov
eminent property, the War Depart
naent nevertheless attempted by every
means In its power to assist the state
10 a better understanding and execu-
ton Of the laws and regulations for
the betterment of the state forces.
succeeding reports, however, which
were periodically submitted to the
war Department, not only indicated
tfa There was no beterment of cendi-
fions, but that there was on the con-
Tary. progressive and constantly
increasing loss OF property, so that
auring the next four years an addi-
sIonal shortage had occurred to the
galue or x41 800, as appeared from
fns records at thar time, but which
mas SINCE been discovered to actually
amounted 70 s5e,9ss1s.