The Washington times., 1915-07-08
U. S. SUFFERS LOSS
OF MILITIA SUPPLIES
Secretary Of War Garrison
Faces Difficult Problem In
Checking Up on Waste.

DhorHous loss TO the government
now aggregating hundreds of thousands
OF dollars. from disappearance q, equip
ment furnished by the War Department
TO national guards-militia-.of the
various States is a serious problem con-
fronting Secretary Of War Garrison to-
National carelessness. tn. Americsn
trait OF wastefulness, is responsible for
me tremendous losses Of rifles. blankets,
shoes. cartridge belts, and other para
phnernaiia Ihs nall OF the militia, according to
heads Of the Bureau Of Militia Ar
fairs and other army and militia Of
losses lin
4, The losse. from theft are compar.-
lively SMALL said Secretary Garrison.
IT is simply carelessness; merely .
personally"
Loss Is General.
Militia Of no one State are particular
Offenders. according to Mr.. Garrison.
The loss is general All States are
debtors to the Government for equip
ment lost. strayed or stolen"
Each State Is allowed so much
money by Congress to aid 1t in keeping
up iS militia" explained Secretary
Garrison. Supplies are purchased and
allotted to the adJutant generals Of
eaSh eseh, stat state The adtutsnt generals.
safe keeping. Practically the rlfles, uni
forms. blankets. tents, shoes. shirts
ETC.. are turned over to the company
captains. Then they are distributed
ths nS,p Kept q nsh the dis
loss begins. A pair Of shoes is left out
side of locker. The shoes disappear.
Maybe some one has come along. OBJ
seryed ser s that hat, the ,s. shoes were a good Mt
happens to shirt. or canteen, or a
CAP.
Anyway. the loss each year Is some
thing enormous. 1t now reaches thou
that the Government will never get ba elk.
The accounts are carried on the books.
debited to each State. Adjutant gen.
erals change. Former officers cannot
sponsibiiity. There is NO" NO one to Whom
the Government can directly look for
restitution. The losses stand, are mount
ing continually and when. II ever. they
will be wiped out Is problematical"
Then Howl Goes UP.
Attempts by the various Secretaries
Of war to call the states to an account
ing for the lost supplies is generally
futile. II the War Department attempts
to even up accounts by holding out part
of the annual Federal militia allot-
ment to the States. Immediately a
howl goes up. The State officials
bring pressure to bear here At Washing
siege the War DEPARTMENT. Governors
and adtutant generals declare that the
national guard will 60 out of business
unless the full Government funds are
the extent OF threatening to disband the |
guard. In fact. the militia of |
one State was mustered out because OF |
Of equipment-and rein |
after Federal funds had been |
sent on. |
The present Secretary Of War is said |
to be the personific alton Of diplomacy |
In dealing with the situation. He en- |
deavors to "hold out" on a debtor State |
part of its allotment. to partially pay |
for the previous losses Of equipment. In
this way he secures partial reimburse
ment at least.
Must Pay Freight"
II the pressure Is too strong. or II he
thinks a State simply cannot maintain
Is militia with any curtailment Of its
Federal appropriation. the Secretary
makes no attempt to force 1t to pay for
he dead horse.'
A system something like that In vogue
n Switzerland or Germany IL favored
~ some army officials as q remedy for
he loss OF militia supplies. but they
loubt II applied to the red blooded, In
young American,
t would work out as we'll in practice as
n theory. In those countries each re
erve" private is held strictly respon-
ibie for his equipment. In switzerland
reuuent inspections q, the homes of
he national guard are made. Separate
ockers for privates in Germany are
provided. In Switzerland the inspectors
'isit the homes Of the guardsmen. to see
I rifles are polished shoes pliable and
uniforms In condition for instant serv-
ce. |