Evening journal., 1915-07-07
government Loses
MUCH EQUIPMENT
Organized Militia ReSpons-
ible For Many Lost, Strayed
or Stolen" Articles
STATES MUST PAY
FOR THE SHORTAGE
BY BOND p. GEDDEs.

III DUNb Il. NEUDEO'
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON. July 7.-EnormUus
loss to the government. now agerega-
tins hundreds o. thousands Of dol
lars. from disappearance of equipments
furnished by the War Department TO
national militia-of the va
rious states Is a serious problem con
fronting Secretary of War Garrison
today.
National carelessness. the Ameri-
can trait of wastcTulness. is respon-
sible for the tremendous losses of ri
hes, blankets, shoes, cartridge belts
and other paraphernalia Of the mill
tia, according TO the war secretary.
He is working with heads Of the Blu
rssu of Militia Affairs and other army
and militia officers to find some way
% check the losses
The losses from theft are COM
paratively small" said Secretary Gar
rison. at is simply carelessness;
merely q phase of the national waste.
typihed personally"
Militia OF no one state are partc-
1lar offenders, according to Mr.. Gar
rison. The loss Ais general. All
states are debtors, to the government
for equipment lost, strayed or stol-
"
''Each state is allowed so much
money by Congress to aid it in keep
ng up its militia" explained Secre-
aTy Garrison. Supplies are pur-
,hased and allotted to the admtant
generals of each state. The adiutant
generals. technically, are responsible
or their safe keeping. Practically
he rifles. uniforms, blankets tents.
shoes. shirts, etc, are turned over TO
he company captains. Then they are
iistributed-and accounts carefully
kept of the distribution-to the pri-
Yates There the loss begins. A pair
Of shoes is left outside of a locker.
The shoes disappear. Maybe some
one has come along; observed that the
shoes we're a good fit and has worn
them off The same thing happens to
4 shirt, or a canteen. or a cap.
Anyway the loss each year Is
something enormous. Il now reaches
thousands and thousands of dollars
dollars that the government will
ntNfA ENA UhAhs A' nR10utANn a. -
carried on the books debited to each
state. Adiutani generals change.
Former officers cannot be charged
personally with financial responsible
fly. There is no one to whom the
government can directly look for re-
stitution. The losses stand, are
mounting continually and when, if ever
hey will be wiped out is problemati-
/ cal"
Attempts BY the various Secretaries
of War to call the States to an ac'
counting for the lost supplies is gen
orally futile If the War Depart
ment attempts to even up account:
by holding out part of the annua
federal militia allotment to the States
Immediately howl" goes up. The
State officials bring pressure to beal
here at Washington. Senators anC
REPRESENTATIVES besiege the War De
partment. Governors and adiutanl
generals declare that the national
guard will go out of business unless
the full government funds are given
Some States have even gone to th'
extent of threatening to disband The
national guard In fact, the militia
of one State was mustered out be
cause Of insuffciency of equipment
and reinstated after federal funds
had been sent on.
The present Secretary of War /.
said to be the personiication of di
piomacy in dealing with the situation
He endeaors to "hOld out" on a debtO
State part oS its allotment, to parti
ally pay for the previous losses o
equipment In this way he secures
partial reimbursement at least.
If the pressure is too strong or i
be thinks State simply cannot main
tain it's militia with any curtailmen
OF its federal appropriation, the Sec
S retary makes an attempt TO force !
f to pay for the dead horse
system something like that Il
q vogue in Switzerland or Germany Y
favored by some army officials as
remedy for the loss of militia sup
plies. but they doubt if, applied to tn
red blooded. independence-nurturei
young American il would work out a
well in practice as in theory. In thos
countries each reserve private
held strictly responsible for hi
equipment. In Switzerland frequen
inspections at the homes of the ma
tionsl guard are made. Separat
lockers for privates in Germany ar
provided. In Switzerland the in
spectors visit the homes of III
guardsmen. to see if rifles are polish
ed. shoes pliable and uniforms in con
dition for instant service.
Imagine what would happen if "
we're TO turn over to our America
youths a rife. uniform, shoes, shirt:
socks, underwear. cartridge belt. ca
- and other equipment, TO be taken, &
and cared for at his home" said on
army official. "They would soon b
IS lost in shuttle of moving day. boardin
houses, OF relegation TO cellar an
garrett"
81 Frugality is the handmade of IN
Want Ads. for the Wants obtain al