Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-22

militia division Of the Navy Department
| is making plans for putting the law into
effect. The primary purpose Of the bill
Is to give the naval militia throughout
the country a standing similar to that of
| the National Guard.
1t has many provisions. which. when
actually put into effect will place the
naval militia Of the country on an eff
ficient footing assisted by the regular
naval establishment. One Of the provis-
ions of the law which appeals to naval
militia officers as well as the en-
listed men is that which permits the
Secretary of the Navy to send them to
the service schools and colleges with an
allowance for quarters and subsistence.
This Will enable certain. officers and en-
listed men to spend time at one or more
of the service schools getting systematic
training. in the handling of war vessels
| in time of peace and war.
The lack of systematic training has
been one of the principal faults of naval
militia organizations. 1t is pointed out
though several of the naval militia organ
izations have been running officers
schools. this has been the exception ra-
| ther than the rule. The local naval
militia has conducted an officers school
Monday nights for the past year
In this connection the militia division
OF the Navy Department is now work
ing upon plan for a systematic course
OF study for naval militia officers. While
| the work Is yet in a tentative state, it
Is expected that something definite will
be announced within a short time When
completed, 1t is declared, it will assist
materially in training naval militia Of
ficers.
The plan in the militia division will
work IN with the plan OF Secretary DAN
an educational institution OF course.
there will. have to be certain notifications
in order to make it apply to the naval
militia. but 1t is the belief that it can
De worked out so that the naval militia
may learn In the service things which
they could not learn in. civil life without
taking time off from their regular oc-
equations.
Another feature Of the act which is
looked upon with much favor is the pro-
vision which permits the department to
assign regular naval officers to the naval
militia as instructors. With
the completion Of the instruction courses
for the schools and the assignment of
inspectors-lnstructor who can direct
the naval niltiamen in the establish.
ment Of the schools, and at the same
tine follow them up with lectures, II Is
believed the naval militia Of the country
will reach very high state Of efficiency,
which will be valuable in time of war.
These officers and men. trained as they
would be under the proposed plans of the
naval militia division, would be able to
get aboard the fleet of reserve vessels
both on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts,
go into int the firerooms. on the bridge. and
at the guns. and go at their tasks Of
operating these second line battleships
with the proficiency of regulars
II + r. i
The attendance at drill at the battalion
Thursday nights is increasing. At the
drill last Thursday night more than 90
per cent of the entire strength OF the
battalion was present, and they were put
through infantry evolutions in prepara-
ton for the parade tomorrow. They
were directed by Lieuts. Getsinger and
Burns and Ensign Crawford
There were fifteen new men who pre-
scented themselves at the armory last
Thursday night for enlistment, and the
officers who have anything to do with
the enlistments were kept busy. Lieut.
F. n. Morhart, surgeon of the battalion,
examined all the recruits, who after
ward were turned over to Lieut. John
L. Johns. paymaster to have their uni
form equipment issued to them. Com
n1ander Dempf declared that he was
very much gratified at the way the num-
Der of young men were existing in the
battalion. and he expressed confidence
that when he closes the enlistment period
before the annual cruise this year
he will have the battalion's full strength
of petty officers and enlisted men. Com
mander Dempf last week announced that
he would this year make the period just
previous to the cruise during which en-
| .istments are turned down much longer
than at any time before. It will be long
enough, he said last Thursday night, to
,, enable the newest recruit to become pro-
ticient In his duties before the battalion
leaves to board the 'battleship to which it
is to be assigned.
4 = K x
Under the command of Lieut. W. Gran
vile Guss. executive officer of the bat
talon. a detachment of the organization
, went last Monday to Arlington, where
il participated in the ceremonies in con-
nection with the celebration Of the an
| niversary of the blowing up Of the old
Maine.
Junior Lieut.. Joseph B. Dalton last
Thursday night rendered his resignation
as an officer in the local naval militia
Lieut.. Dalton has been in the service
| for a number of years. first as an en-
listed man. later as an ensign. and
! finally as lieutenant, junior grade, the
commission resigned. For some months
| last year.. shortly after he received his
promotion to the grade OF junior lieu
battalion. and was such when the bat
talon cruised on the battleship Ala
! bama last July. During his connection
| with the, battalion he worked hard to
| make it success. and during the re-
organization which took place shortly af-
| ter Commander Dempf took command
last year he was the commanding Of
fcers right-hand man.
Lieut.. Dalton sent his resignation to
| Commander Dempf because of the fact
| that ne has accepted a position in New
! York. which would prevent him from
giving the requisite amount Of time to
| tho local naval militia.
=
Chief Quartermaster Raymond Davis Of
the Naval Battalion is to receive the six
year service medal next Wednesday night
at the National Guard Armory
| Era Fata1 tn civil war V.tar.r