The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-06-08

EXCELLENT
Col. Johnson Calls Attention
to Rating of 1st Inf,
V. n. C.
SAYS EDITORIAL
is NOT BORNE OUT
Less Interest Shown Than 20 Years
Ago, but Standard Is Maintained
Through Disbandments of Companies,
Not Signs of Decadence.

@ASo' ouC oIdhoaTu is Maintained /
Through Disbandments of Companies.
Not Signs of Decadence.
My attention is called to an editor |
al in your excellent paper of recent
late, in which you quote the Windsor
Journal as bemoaning the fact that so
little interest seems to be taken in the
Vermont National Guard at present. as
compared with 20 years ago, and them
add: For it cannot be denied that the
state s militia organization is in anv-
thing but in an efficient state.''
l beg to ask from what source Won
get your information, that should cause
you to make this statement?
| fully agree with the Windsor .Tonr
nal that there seems to be less interest
IN the national guard than 20 wears
ago. This is q national condition. how
ever, and not exceptional in Vermont
But in spite of this handicap the ma
tional guard of Vermont and of the
the United States is maintained at a
standard that from the standpoint of
military efficiency and preparedness
cannot be compared with the organiza-
tion of 90 years ago
full strength with three officers and
As enlisted men. There were no iron
clad requirements as to its yearly
drills, each captain being law unto
himself in the administration of his
company, except at the annual sEmus-
ter Between these annual camps a
company could be depleted in strength.
and if there was not enough interest
to maintain weekly drills they were
held less often. If there were not
enough men present to drill, no drill
was held. No report was ever made of
these mid-year drills.
The principal formations were for
camp or some public occasion, at which
time very gay uniform could be don
ned and the soldier would be the CEN
ter of attraction for the day. In camp
all meals We're prepared and served by
hired caterers and pretty girl walters
companies vieing with one another to
excel in these things. The drills were
all of close order formations, nothing
in the nature of field maneuvers being
sham battle to close the muster
week. The most important feature
was the dress parade. No attention
these things were attractive to the av-
erage young man, but even then com
panies frequently fell away below the
required number during the year and
would be filled UP a short time before
going to camp, part of the men being
dropped Immediately upon arriving
home. Not infrequently men would
go IS substitutes that is, answer
to the name of enlisted men who We're
unable to attend camp.
Government Oversight.
Today all these things have changed
The government has taken over the
arming and equipping of the militia
furnished regular army officers for in
structors, and through the division OF
militia affairs keeps a general over
sight of each and every organization
The result of this is that they require
a very different standard than for
merly.
The minimum strength of a company
of infantry has been increased to 6;
enlisted men, and it is required tina
"a drills shall be held, exclusive o.
annual camps of instruction, at whiel
| rs per cent of the enlisted strength
must be present. The company com
manders are personally responsible 70
several thousand dollars worth of gov
eminent property. The officers are re
CURED to do much studying during tn
year and take part in service school
/ The officer or enlisted man who is un
able to- attend to this study and drill
has to be dropped, where, under tn
former system, If he was able to attent
the annual camp he could be kept upo
! the rolls.
A man cannot now draw pay fror
the government for vancouver cam
unless he has previously had tw
months service and attended at leas
IA drills.
1t is needless to say that the prepa
/ ration of the ration is now handled er
tirely by enlisted men. 1t will be see
by this that much of the glamor of tn
business has been taken away Tn
uniform is a very plain olive draF
made with the very idea that it wi
not attract attention.
But in spite of all these changes, tn
militia is, and should be, attractive t
young man today, not perhaps for tn
same reasons that it was formerly, bu
for the reason that, more than ever,
is an efficient national guard, with tn
government behind it, helping in ever
way possible to make it second on1
to the regular army
Tt teaches n young man to obey an
to command and gives him self-relianc
in caring for himself in the field undo
adverse conditions. It is attractive b,
cause it means more to belong to a mi
tia company today than 20 years ag,
It means that man is willing to worl
has the ability to maintain, and take
pleasure in producing a higher stant
ard of organization.
In the last few years there have bee
!, disbanded in this state five differer
mpanies-nearly half the regimen
This is not sign of deeadence, but
natural result of putting the standar
higher from year to year, each disbant