The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1915-02-24
PROVISIONS FOR
FOUR BIG ARMIES

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A complete plan for an organized
militia of 100000 men has been de
ised by the division Of Militia AT
fairs, War Department, and If law
are passed permitting the tentative
increase in strength Ohio will b.
called upon to supply 20,730 mel
as its quota.
In November, 1912, the War. De
oartment published plan for a re
organization of the State militia in
to IL division districts. That plar
as incomplete in that it failed t.
assign to each State its defnit,
share of the division or organization
Of the district. Furthermore, nc
provision was made for the organ
ization Of the corresponding army
troops.
The plan just completed supplies
these DEFICIENCIES. Under this sys-
tenn Ohio and Michigan comprise
The tenth division. The quota Of the
two States, if 100000 militiamen
we're available in the entire coun-
try, would be 32,950 men, Ohio fur
nishing 2O,73O and Michigan 1920.
The mobilization point in Columbus
is fixed at Columbus and in Michi-
gan at Grayling.
Kentucky In Ninth Division.
Indiana and Illinois, comprising
the eleventh division, would be call
ed upon for 11,745 and 24,520 men
respectively; TT. Benjamin Harrison
is the mobilization point for In
diana. Kentucky is assigned to the
ninth division comprising Alabama,
Mississippi and Tennessee.
Kentucky's quota under the ten
tative plan is $500 men, and Ft.
Thomas is the mobilization point.
West Virginia would be called
upon for $3.50 men. 1t is part Of
the seventh division, which also
comprises Delaware, New Jersey,
Maryland, District Of Columbia and
West Virginia.
To obtain such militia strength as
this plan contemplates the actual
enlistments as the present time
would have to be practically quad
rupled. The paper strength Of the
militia at present is $4,000 men.
Less than 80 per cent of this num-
Der are classified as efficient.
The Ohio National Guard nomi-
nally includes 6,4OO men and offic-
ers at the present time, Indiana,
$500, Kentucky, 1900 and West
Virginia 1900. Ohio would be call
I'd upon for a smaller portionate in
crease in militia strength than any
of the other three States, although in
actual number the State of Ohio
would have a quota nearly as large
as the other three States combined.
Favored by War Department.
War Department officials are
anxious that provision shall be
made for an increase in the militia.
It is not intended that 100000 men
shall be kept constantly on duty any
more than it is the practice at the
resent time to keep the militia on
lty. But if it were possible to
have 100000 men well trained for
military service, army officers point
20 the fact that the United States
would have a reserve force in the
State troops four times as large as
the present nominal strength of
State troops and more than eight
times as large as the present actual
and efficient strength.
The tentative plan outlined by the
militia division would provide
enough troops for four field armies
of three divisions each. There
would be quick mobilization of the
State forces at central points in
each State, and from there divisions
for brigades would be entrained
for larger points at each of which
4 comDlete army of 100000 could