Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-28
NEVER AGAIN AS MILITIA
c Company's Members Have
Had Their Eyes Opened.
SIN Patriotic hut Desire to Serve un-
der an Efficient System-Border
service Huge Fissco and
Equipment Anticipated.

Never again as militia will we re.
spond to our country's call say the /
ma iority of the University of Vermont /
students, who as members OF G company I
of the First Regiment Of Infantry, YER
mont National Guard. have Just been
discharged from the federal service, after !
serving nearly three months at Eagle |
pass, Texas Most OF them agree that
the militia system is all wrong in the
first place and that the handling of the
problem of sending the national quad
to the border was fine eNamplc Of the
war departments nefficicncY. The YER
mont troops arrived at Eagle Pass on
July g. when the blood of the American
soldiers massacred at Carrizal was still
undried ana when war with Mexico
seemed assured. The Carrizal affair was
treated. however, as a mere "mcdent'
by the government and after q fortnight
or three weeks of service. the miltiamen
became convinced that there vas no real
need for their services and that they
were being kept there merely 10 do work
which the soldiers of the regular army
felt was beneath them.
The first rub came when the Vermont
lers found that the militia from other
States had been brought to the border
in Pullman cars, while they had been
compelled to travel in ordinary coaches
and sleep on boards. spread between the
car seats. Box cars would have been
preferable to this mode OF travelling, de-
clare some of them. II there had been
any read need for their services and they
had been put Immediately on active duty
they could have overlooked this, but they
were set to building camps, which they
afterwards found We're to be occupied
by the regular troops then in Mexico.
College students are famed AS good
sports and the boys did their work with
a will and said nothing. C company was
among the most efficient organizations OF
the entire regiment. When word came
that the Vermont regiment must remain
at Eagle Pass after the time set for the
opening Of the University Of Vermont
and when the order was issued that no
college students should he discharged, the
boys became uneasy Many of them were
paying a large part Of their college eX-
penscs with the money which they earned
during the summer vacation. which was
a good deal more than the SIS a month
which they We're receiving as private
soldiers They had received practical as
surancc when they enlisted that they
would be allowed to return in time &c
continue their studies and felt that they
could i'll afford TO miss their college work
The telegraph wires between Eagle Pass
and the home of President Guy Potter
BENTON of the University of Vermont
were kept warm with constant messages
and the result is past history.
WHERE THE MILITIA SYSTEM
FAILS.
A corporal was sent out with squad
: of men to dig a ditch An officer gave
, him explicit instructions as to wha
lehT cold hn md hon GEn
he understood the orders. The corpora
, replied that he thought he did, and wheI
: the officer asked him his former occupa
ton replied that he was a civil engineer
who had had charge Of many Difficult
engineering feats. And he was sent t.
: dig bitches.
Another non-conmissioned officer wa
told to count the number Of saddle
which had been turned into the quarter
masters office and that officer expressed
some doubts as to the non-com's ahiit.
to perform tho task. He altered hi
opinion when he found that the non
. com was a professor Of mathematics
= Here were trained men. who should hav
t. been receiving Instructions as officers
=, digging bitches and counting saddles
!, because they had been patriotic cnoug
!. Ito respond to their country's call.
g GOVERNMENT INEFFICIENCY
II Most Of the equipment which was fur
= nished the militia was Anticipated an
practically useless. The men could no
shoot straight because the wind gauge
! and sights of their rifles We're out OF da tf
r The blanket rolls which they carrie
r We're discarded by the regular army seN
q eral years ago. Many OF the machin
II guns which were sent to the border di
/ not even have firing pins. 1t would hay
= been sheer murder to have sent N
q militia troops into action under thes
u conditions.
The students feel that they are Just a
: patriotic as when they departed for III
u border, but they have had their eye
u opened. Before they go again, they war
l. to know that there is some real nee
= for them and even then they will nevf
" go as militia. Perhaps as volunteer
Is perhaps as members of "a officer
-" reserve corps, but not to dig bitches an
! build camps for the regulars. 81 do NJ
" believe a dozen men of the First We
mont would re-enlist again for such a
> emergency, IL they knew the condition
We're similar to this tasco." said MOI
j. commissioned officer Of C company.
IN NEW FREE METHODIST PASTOR.
If The Rev. w. T.. Sitter. for the pa:
Il Nfas