The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-12-11
MILITIA RESERVE
is MUCH DESIRED
Says Secretary of War Garrison in His
First Annual Report Submitted to
President Wilson.

Washington, d. c., Dec Secretary
Garrison's first annual report to the
president, as head of the war depart
ment, makes no recommendations Tor
the generally expected re-arrangement OF
army posts to distribute troops in mo-
bile units. The secretary says that 9TH
pr things of immediate Importance, par
ticularly an adequate supply of field ar
tillery," will postpone his recommended
tions to Congress, but in the meantime
the troops will be garrisoned in as prac-
tical a manner for mobilization as is
possible.
Mr.. Garrison discusses the militia at
some length. He says in part:
"The national Importance of reserve
system for the organized militia cannot
be questioned. The minimum strength
at which militia organizations are main
tanned in time of peace will render nee
essary a great and immediate increase
in national emergency, and this fact
demands the presence of a system OF re-
serves from which trained men may be
secured for this increase. Without some
such system. not only will such increase
be rendered exceedingly difficult, but
even when accomplished the efliciencW
of the organizations will have been re-
duced to minimum by the introduction
of an unframed element double in num-
Der the trained personnel.
Proper organization as required by
the law is absolutely necessary if the or
ganized militia is to be counted on as
dependable military federal asset in time
of national need, and the organizations
existing as such in name only will be
required to complete their component
elements or lose federal recognition of
their character as such organizations.
'While there has been small de-
crease in officers and enlisted men in the
organized militia during the past year,
this decrease has occurred, in great part,
as the result of the elimination of or
CARNATIONS found hopelessly inefficient
and is compensated for by an increase
In general efficiency. 1t is regretted
that in target practice the reports show
but slight progress during the year. This
fact is the more serious as rifle practice
Is recognized as one of the most vital
elements in the training of the infantry
soldier. The present tendency to devel-
pp rifle teams, composed mostly of COM
missioned officers, at the expense of tar
get practice for the enlisted man is OPP
posed to the federal policy in this mat
ter and should be discontinued"
Mexican Border Control.
The Mexican border patrol the secre-
tary discusses at some length:
cat the date of the last annual re-
port there were on duty in connection
with the patrol of the Mexican border
approximately 6,754 officers and enlisted
men. The present strength is about the
same, but largely composed of different
organizations.
"An extensive patrol has been con-
tinuously maintained by these troops
from the Gulf of Mexico to Sasabe, 30
miles west of Nogales, Ariz., a distance,
following the windings of the frontier,
of some 1900 miles. Throughout this
stretch of territory our troops have pro-
tected the border from incursions by in
dividuals or small raiding parties from
Mexico, have been continually on the
alert to prevent violations of the neu-
trality laws, and have acted in eonjunc-
ton with the civil authorities to pre-
vent illegal importations of arms and
ammunition into Mexico in violation OF
the presidents proclamatio of March
IA. 1912.
"The duty of our troops at border
towns during the conflicts between the
two contending Mexican factions was of
most trying nature, and the conduct
of the troops under the circumstances,
and the exercise of good Judgment and
self-restraint on the part of command
ing officers, are highly creditable."
There were 9,4S9 vacancies in the en-
listed strength of the regular army at
the end of the last fiscal year, when
its actual strength was. 1886, and the
assertions numbered 4,45l, which was
4.l5 per cent. of the whole number of
enlistments. Though larger than the
percentage for the three preceding years