Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-08-28
Many Useful Things Are Taught Boys
Who Participate in Maneuvers
Of State Militia
FINE CLASS OF MEN ARE
BEING ATTRACTED TO MILITIA
In Case There Should Be War, Trained
Man Would Have Great Advan-
tage Over All Others.


shown by the young men of Salem in
the organization of the new militia
company. Not only men who know
nothing about military work, but men
who have had from three to seven years
previous service are making inquiries
as to what kind of a bunch of men are
going to be in the new organization
and many have signified their intention
to become members providing the pres
ent standard of enlistment will be main
tained. That sounds mighty fine, be.
cause when you attract class of men
that makes the veteran want to get out
and soldier along side of them, they
must be better than the ordinary. The
veteran, having had experience, knows
the class of men that can make good.
That does not go to say that every vet
eran is desirable, any more than every
citizen is desirable, but the best will be
taken only.
The morale of the national guard has
shown a marked improvement in the
last two year, and more so in the last
year. The rowdyism and rough stuff was
nowhere in evidence at the last encamp.
ment, it is said, and the regular army
Officers ON duty with the Third regi.
ment at Camp West this year were sur,
prised to find so much improvement
along this line. Every man seemed to
be deSirOus of learning as much as pos
sible and worked with will, and if he
made a mistake, it was due mostly to
lack of training rather than to any
cause. This is a result of having the
right kind of men in the organization.
However, there is very much room for
Improvement.
The present administration is paying
more attention to the national guard
than it ever received before. It has
been realized that in time of war the
national guard will play very vital
part, and the war department is doing
everything in its power to make the
militia as efficient is possible. Regular
army officers are detailed as instructors
and have no other duties to perform but
to train the national guard, and are
with them constantly, not only in the
armOry, but in their daily life, studying
them to see if they are the proper men
to command troops. In addition to
having an instructor in this state, for
the infantry, the Third infantry has
been fortunate in securing the services
of Major c. H. Martin, U. S. A., to com
mand the regiment. Major Martin has
been commissioned colonel of infantry
in the Oregon National Guard and as.
signed to the command of the Third in.
fantry. Colonel Martin has Just fin
ished detail at the Army War College
division of the general staff at Wash.
ington, D. C., before being sent to Ore
gon and stands very high in the regu.
lar service.
There is a bill before congress now to
pay the militiamen percentage Of reg
ular army pay which will in some de.
gree compensate the men for their ser.
vices while not attending camps or 9th.
er duty in the field. During the annual
encampments the men are paid accord.
ing to the rank they hold in addition
to receiving board, clothing, and at the
same time getting an outing and ex-
perience that can not be duplicated in
any other way. The men are not paid
the regular army pay, but are paid ac.
cording to a scale made out by the state
authorities which amounts to considera.
bly, more for the enlisted men. The Of
ficers are paid straight regular army
Ipay.
1t is conceded that military training
would be a good thing for students Of
the high schools and it is thought by
various authorities that the citizen Of
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