The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-12-11
MILITIA CHIEF AGAIN
URGES D. {. ARNORY
General Mills. in Report, Reiter-
ateS Plea for Adequate
Headquarters Here.

The erection Of n suitable armory
@or the District National Guard is urged
n the annual report of Brig. Gen. A. L.
Mills. chief Of the division Of militia
affairs. to Secretary Of War Garrison.
today. General Mills made this same
recommendation in his last report.
There is nothing new to be said on
his subject General Mills reiterated
ia his report today The need is still
tnit and will continue to be so, until the
want is supplied"
General Mills approves the militia pay
ulIi. agreed upon at conf erence here
several months ago by representatives
~ the army and State milltias. ana
which makes provision for the creation
u q reserve for the organized militia.
a reserve system he said, lis ss-
senual for the war efficiency Of any
army whose organizations in time OF
peace are maintained at a specified
minimum, and in time OF war raised to
g prescribed strength"
Reserve System Worthless.
= table is presented showing that TO
increase the infantry Of the organized
militia from peace to war strength
would require the addition of eighty
five men 10 each company of infantry,
thirty-five to cavalry; ffty-seven to
field artillery, ninety-eight to engineers,
lightweight to signal companies, lOi to
coast artillery. seyenty-eight TO anbu-
lance companies. and siXty-seven to
field hospitals.
The influx of this new material, II
composed Of unframed recruits Gen
ersl Mills says, will at once destroy
have. and il therefore becomes essential
that for their effective use reserve
corps should be organized in every
State. A delay in arninE. and equip
ping reserves at a time when the or
;ganiZatiOns are needed for immediate
rse will occur unless a trained re-
serve exists. In addition to this, there
will be repeated the same unnecessary
Joss of life from preventable diseases
that occurred in the Spanish-American
war, because men newly enlisted have
not been trained in discipline and
semi tary measures.
An increase of 1919 in the enlisted
strength o. the militia during the year
* shown in the report, while there " as
e corresponding reduction of S3S in the
list of officers. 4 decrease of fifteen
officers and an increase of ia men was
shown in the District militia, bringing
Inc total strength 10. 1,12i Officers and
- men
The total strength Of the organized
militia OF The country was 1872 Officers
and 1875 enlisted men.
The reduction in officers was brought
about by the operation of Circular s."
= manner as To lessen the number of
stpfI officers.
Calls Militia Worthless.
our militia. with some exceptions, is
worthless. This was revealed, says
General Mills. by examination conduct
ed during tho year.
Investigation OF the militia showed
that the deficiency in the quota Of the
militia reached 5000 men during the
last year: that 80 per cent of the in
rantry aud engineer Companies, 20 per
kxsrlt Of the cavalry troops, 50 per cent
the coast artillery companies, and
ctically all the field artillery bat
IS. are below the prescribed mini
no State is the prescribed mini
u peace strength OF all organiZa-
Bns Of the organized IN ria main
ined,' says General Mills. and In
many instances the deficiency has
reached such = figure as to leave the
rorrespondinE organizations such in
name oniy--orEanHS3t Of no value
military asset TO the Federal Gov
eminent.
General Mills explains this criticism
Goes not apply 20 some bodies of the
militia which meet the standards of
efficiency desired. ne method for bet
.ering the miIiJia ~ in the passage
81" Q bill hy Congress for proper COM
3=nsation FOR rh- organized militia, the
neral says.