Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14


of Columbia until January z
when the military instruction
for the wear 1914 will begin. Orders
were issued yesterday at National Guard
HEADQUARTERS, in The Star building, pro-
viding for the suspension of local mill
tary operations during the holiday
period The order covers all branches
of the National Guard of the District
Of Columbia.
Extensive plans for building up the
organized militia and putting 1t on a
plane of efficiency with that of the
regular army seems to be written
throughout that part OF the annual re-
port Of Secretary Garrison of the war
Department which deals specifically
with militia operations.
The decrease in the number OF officers
and men of the militia during the past
year has made the guard more enlclent,
in the opinion OF the Secretary, as this
decrease was brought about by the
elimination of inefficient organizations
The need of more officers III the regu-
lar army. so that the Secretary may
have them TO detail to the militia as
Observation-Disclosures is pointed out.
A National Guard reserve is urgent
according to the Secretary. To recruit
organizati ons in the National Guard to
, fun war strength in time OF need with
unframed men would impair the eff
ficiency of the guard. he says. There
y
of reserve should he provided to enable
the guard "a obtain trained men in time
of need. The report says:
While there has been a small decrease
in officers and enlisted men in the or
ganized militia during the past year, this
decrease has occurred, in great part as
the result Of the elimination of organiza-
tions found hOpelesSly inefficient and is
compensated for by an Increase in gen.
eral efficiency.
THE introduction in a number of states
OF a systematic and progressive course
of theoretical instruction. formulated and
supervised by regular army officers. pro-
duced good results In practical inStruc-
ton progress has been made at the Of
ficers camps held i'm many states. the re-
suits obtained confirming the opinion al
ready held. that these camps are a val
liable means OF experimenting the theo-
retical instruction previously impaired.
1T is regretted that in target practice
the reports show but slight progress dur
ing the year. This fact Is the more
serious as rife practice is recognized as
one of the most vital elements in the
training of the infantry soldier. The
present tendency to develop rifle teams.
composed mostly Of commissioned officers,
at the expense Of target practice for the
enlisted man Is opposed TO the federal
policy in this matter and should be dis
continued.
The excessive cost Of attendance at
garrison schools. together with the mad :
equate results obtained. necessitated the
withdrawal of authority for attendance
! thereat. Better results will be obtained
at other service schools whose doors are
open TO the organized militia. and the ap-
preparation which formerly was devoted
almost exclusively TO the former class of
schools should be utilized in an increased
attendance at the latter.
Measures calculated to protect the in
tereSts OF the government i'm federal prop
erty issued to the organized militia have
been introduced during the year. These
measures take the form of a system of
accountability that enables the states
concerned to regulate the quantity of
such supplies kept on hand by the de-
mandS of the organizations requiring il
and which enables the federal government
to know at all times the amount of its
supplies actually in the hands of the
states. and at the same time secures il
against waste by improper application of
the law authorizing the dropping of cloth
ing under the provision regulating the
clothing allowance.
The great expense of mounts for field
artillery and cavalry interposes serious
obstacle to the provision of an adequate
and efficient force in either of these arms.
The only remedy lies in an increased fed
eral appropriation looking to the partial
maintenance of a nucleus of mounts for
such organizations. such mounts to be
originally purchased. however. by the mi
litia. Legislation to this effect has been
proposed
"The necessity for greater number
of Observation-Disclosures for the organized
militia has become so pressing that il
IS believed that legislation should be Sc
cured providing for an increase of officers
Of the regular army sufficient TO fulfill
the demands OF the states for these
officers. The law contempiates the detail
Of an Observation-Disclosures for each regi-
ment or separate battalion of infantry,
and the equivalent for the other branches
of the service, and it is the policy of the
War Department to carry this law into
execution so far as practicable. At pres
ent thls IS impossible, as such action
VIII require total of 1S1 officers an
excess Of 100 over the present number
on detail
Reluctance ON the part of many states
TO provide sanitary organizations in their
organized militia is regretted. Properly
organized sanitary units are so impor-
tant in delS service and so difficult 10
provide within the limited time available
after the need for their existence arrives
that every effort should be made to pro-
vide. equip and train these organizations
in time of peace.
THE national Importance of a 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 neces-
sary a great and immediate increase in
a national emergency. anG this fact de-
mands the presence of system of re-
serves from which trained men may be
secured for this increase. Without some
such system. not only will such increa Sc
be rendered exceedingly difficult but even
when accomplished the efficiency of the
organizations will have been reduced to q
minimum by the Introduction of an un-
trained element double in number the
trained personnel
.'The cooperation Of the governors of
the several states having been secured.
plan for the organization of the entire
organized militia into military divisions
has been initiated. II remains now for
the organized militia to complete their
organizations, both in number and in
strength. to render these divisions
such in fact well as in name.
THE War Department has issued dur
ing the year, instructions calling for COM
pliance with the militia law in the mat
ter Of organization. Proper organization
as required by the law is absolutely nec-
essary If the organized militia is to be
counted on as a dependable military fed
era 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.
William H Rupertus, who recently was
appointed second lieutenant in the
United States Marine Corps, received his
first taste OF military life in the Ma
tional Guard in the District of Columbia
lie served as a private in Company X,
I'd Infantry. His discharge from the Ma
tional Guard of the District yesterday