The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-21

1 knife. fork. spoon. shelter tent, half:
shelter tent pole. shelter tent pins
dress uniform, service uniforms. Q. q.
wool; service uniforms, cotton; ! dress
cap. o. d. cap. 1 campaign hat. pairs
of leggins. hat cord. overcoat. !
blanket, 1 housewife, 1 rubber poncho, 1
pair OF marching shoes, / pair OF stock
ings. 1 aluminium Identification tag, ~
rounds Of ball cartridges, cal. 30. and Tor
each company OF infantry 1 two-foot foio-
Ing rule, hand axes, l pick mattock per
squad, shovels intrenching per squad,
wire cutters per company, compass per
squad, signal flags per company, auto
and two musicians. In addition to the
articles for the individual soldier there Is
furnished to each company nine con1cal
tents, wall tents. conical stoves for tents
squad kit bags, cots for each member,
field range cooking utensils. marking out
fits, repair kits, picks. shovels, axes.
hatchets, lanterns, water buckets, milk
cans for carrying water, bacon chests,
condiment chests. For mounted troops
horse equipment is furnished. Shoes are
provided for field service only.
Frequent Inspections a.-d Renewals.
Full and complete equipment with
extra equipment to replace that be-
coming unserviceable is kept on hand
at all times. It is inspected twice
each year.. once by an officer from
ia ID by the federal government. and
at these inspections all unserviceabie
property is surveyed and new equip
ment is procured on reQuisition from
the federal government without cost
to the state to replace the same.
The batter has the latest equip
ment of field artillery; in fact, a later
model than some of the regular bat
teries and the state has on hand in
the state storehouse 48 escort wagons
and four sets of single or two sets OF
double harness for each wagon ready
for use in case Of a call for active
service and large supply OF surplus
equipment to replace equipment In
the hands of organizations from time
to time as it becomes worn out and
un=erviceable. The minimum strength
Of TIE national guard Of Kansas is
about 1000. If you will multiply the
equipment of the individual soldier by
IT, number you will get some idea
of the amount of equipment the ma
tional guard # Kansas has. The
equipment now in the hands of !ie
the national guard and without the
cost of penny to the state is about
one-half million dollars. The value
of the equipment issued to the bat
terry is about $125,000.00; to each
company of infantry about 100000.
You also state that no adequate
provision is mads for training. The
organizations of the national guard of
Kansas are required to drill once each
week. Organization commanders are
required to submit to this office, for
roval, programs for these drills
and schools. In these drills the train
is calculated to teach each individual
INV to take care of himself in the
field as well as the principles of COM
hot lit - IN Il l>A~ =
themselves. Among many other sub
jects that Of intrenching is taught
during the winter by means Of a sand
table and in summer on the ground.
Organizations are required to hold
gallery rifle practice during the sum-
mer season. The federal government
provides funds for the building Of gal
lery targets and for the lease of land
for rifle ranges and eQuipping same
and each company has an outdoor tar
get, which costs $50, and which is is
sued to the state without charge. A
state rifle competition is held each
year to which the best shots are sent
to compete for prizes and to be trained
in the finer points of rifle practice so
as to make them capable as instructors
and a state team is selected each year
which is sent to the national rifle
matches at which they compete with
other states for prizes and acquire a
rifle practice enabling them to become
instructors in their respective organiza-
tions.
School Conducted by State.
The state conducts a correspond
ence school for officers. This schoo
consists Of a course covering three
years Of study, in drill regulations
field service regulations. smarl-arms
firing regulations, army regulations
courts-martial, military law, and maj
reading. Two sets of questions are
sent out each month and the Officers
tions, return them to this office where
they are graded, errors noted, ani
the papers are then returned to the
officer sending them in. Officer.
completing this three years Of study
are given diplomas as proficient IL
correspondence course all officers are
required to take a correspondence
course in solving tactical problems OF
military map. Problems are SEN
out monthly. They involve the ap
plication of the principles Of the ar
Of war to the given situation. Tit
student studies the problem and writes
his solution showing the action HI
would take, orders he would issue
and dispositions he would make II h,
were in command OF troops in thu
field under the given conditions. Thest
solutions are examined, errors arr
noted and papers returned to the Of
ficer sending them in. All officers, be
fore entering the service, are required
to pass an examination which, 1 hav,
been told, Is more difficult than tn,
examination given for civil servic,
employment and, I have been told
equal to the examination required To-
a first grade teachers certificate TIL,
field officers of the regiment also con
duct a correspondence school for non
commissioned officers. Questions ar,
sent out monthly which the noncom
missioned officers answer, these pa
pers are examined and corrected whel
received and returned through tn,
regimenta1 commander and the com
pany commander to the noncommis
stoned officers sending them in.
A school for officers. putting int