The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-10-04

ment, citing instances where large
corporations made a rule that every
man Who wished to become member
of the militia would have the time to
attend the encampments held each
year, In this way the business men
are given an Opportunity to assist in
the building up of the national de-
lfenses. M M W
Colonel H. T. Johnson of Bradford
commander of the Vermont regiment
of militia, laid especial stress on the
need bf public sentiment to build up
the militia. The young men should
have every influence for joining the
State defense, the chief reasons for
the sentiment against the militia be-
ing indifference and ignorance. He
spoke of the evolution in the State en-
campments which has come about
since the federal government has TAX
en- charge and made appropriations
for the instruction. AT one time the
chief inducement to the young men
was that they would be able to strut
around the streets in a unifoI N and
attend the encampments, which were
then considered one general big hilar
ious time, with little real work, The
case is different now, however, the
men being put through II hours of
hard work during every day of camp
life, with strict discipline. This has
tended to weed out those men who
went only for pleasure and the ranks
have been filed by men who are real
ly interested in the military In clos
ing, the speaker gave it as his opin-
ion that a compulsory term between
the age of IS and % would be great
benefit to the young men of the State.
Capt. l.. J. Bond, United States in
spector-instructor of organized mill
tia in Vermont, was the next speaker
and he paid a fine compliment to the
militia as he had found it in the
state. He told of the benflts Of the
life to the young men of a
who during such train
ms would receive an education which
would help in business life later.
Much depends upon the personality
and magnetism of the captain OF
who in turn needs the sup
port of the community back of him.
We do not know when we may have
a call for trained men who must have
the military knowledge If we are to
win.
Capt. Ira l.. Reeves, who for the
past three years has been military in
structor at the University of Vermont
spoke in detail of the militia, giving
the men an idea of it's real working
force in the state. There are COM
panies at Rutland, st. Adams, two in
st. Johnsbury, Bellows
Falls, Mortified, Winooski Montpel-
Ter, Brattleboro, Springfield and New
port, beeides the headquarters COM
pany and supply company. The COM
panies have in times of peace Go men,
which may be swelled to $50 men in
war times. There is also the list Yer
mont cavalry at Norwich University
and the attached sanitary troops.
Captain Reeves then in very witty
vein introduced the various officers
Of the National Guard present.
President Benton was the last
speaker and he took the occasion to |
pay Captain Reeves a high compli- |
ment on the work he has done at the |
and the results he obtain
ed. He stated that he was sorry to |
ose Captain Reeves and hoped that
ne would make the college buildings !
mis- headquarters while he was in Yer
mont, which the speaker hoped would
e as long as he lived.-Burlington
rec Press.