The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-01-12
GOV. BLEASE D|SBANDS
THE STATE MILITIA
Disagreement ID Between Cover.
nor and War Department.
THE OFFICERS WILL ACT.
Will Try to Hold Organizations To-
gether Until the New Governor
Comes In.


Comes In.
Columbia. Jan. 11-Governo.'
Blease today disbanded the South
Carolina organized militia. Thirty
one companies. comprising approx
mately 1000 officers and men, are
affected. Disagreement between the
governor and militia and war de-
partment officials on the organlza-
tion and equipment OF the troops
was given as the reason for the ac-
ton.
Militia officers tonight begun
movement to prevent complete dis
organization. kilograms were scnt
to South Carolina members of Con-
gress at Washington requesting that
they use their influence to have the
war department delay asking the re-
turn of 100000 worth OF supplies
! ioaIed the troops
Adjutant General Moore -: lccts
to leave for Washington tomorrow
to confer with war department Off
cials on the situation.
Governor Blease explained N his
order disbanding the troops that The
existence Of differences bet gvaen .ha
secretary of war and the secretary
OF the navy and Adjutant General
Moore of South Carolina on one si6e
and himself on the other, prompted
him to take this step. These difcI-
ences, he said, resulted in serious
breaches of discipline in the militia
corps.
The present governor Of the state
of South Carolina is of the nnininn
that 1t will be unfair and unjust on
his part to turn over to his successor
in Office the militia OF South Carolina
IL its present condition." the order
read.
The controversy between Governor
Blease and Adjutant General Moore
was said to have been the result of
the governors refusal to sign cer-
tain orders and official papers pre-
sented to him by the adjutant gen
eral.
The secretary of war aud the
secretary of the navy became par
ties to this controversy, according
tc official statements, when the mat
ter OF accounting for about $780,
600 worth of federal property these
federal departments claimed had
been lost and destroyed by the mil
itia organizations was held up. An
accounting of this property was be-
gun about year ago and recently
was completed and the finished re
ports were said today to be ready
70 rthe signature of Governor Biease
The situation became further COM
plicated last summer when the gov
erncr refused to permit the militia
troops to participate in the annual
encampment ordered by the chief Of
the division of militia affairs. This
action, according to statements frow
the adjutant generals Office, re-
suited in appropriations by Congress
aggregating about $4,000 for main
tenance and equipment of the South
Carolina militia being held up h,
the war department. Included la
the three regiments OF infantry and
auxiliary corps affected by the order
are 500 men whom the governor had
refused to muster out Of service up-
on orders received about eight
month sago from the chief OF the
division of United States militia af
fairs.
The militia was commanded by
Adjutant General Moore of Barn
well. whose official position is no.
affected by the order. Governor
Blease. however. was commander-in-
chief. ex-officio Gen, Willie Jones
Of Columbia, was brigadier general
of the South Carolina corps. Head
quarters Of the First Infantry Regi-
msnt Wss at Yorkvffie: OF the Secsad
Rsgimsat st Columtia, and OF the
Third at Charleston. Coast artillery
corps was located at Charleston,
6ullivans Island, Beaufort and
Georgetown. and each had an ap-
proximate strength Of 80 men and
officers.
IN