Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-01
MILITIA
FOUNDATION FOR ARMY
Preferred by Majority of Committee.
men Over Proposed Cont
mental Scheme.
STATUS OF NATIONAL GUARD
Discussed in Detail by Witnesses BE-
lore senate and House Cummit-
tees-Legal Aspect Involves Qucs.
tions Never Passed On by Courts.

W $ II NC TO y. January 3,.-Thc
1 S'a'"s or the National Guard in any
preparedness plan that may he worked
out by the present Congress was dis
cusscd in detail by witnesses before tho
senate ana House Military Committees
to-day. Rrigadier- Gcncral Mills. chief
'ot the militia divisions OF ,h., MAJ De
part'uent declared n fcdsr.,li2sd militia
would be the best foundation az, which
10 "u'id the proposed continental army
and Erigadier-ticneral Crowder judge
advocate general Of the arnlv, examined
on legal aspects OF Generalization. said
II involved questions ON which The
courts had never passed National
Suardsmen themselves Will he given a
hearing tomorrow by both commit
tees. the Executive committee OF tho
National Guard Association and nu-
merous other State officers having been
invited I" present their views
Other witnesses to-day included Lieu
tenant-General Nelson y Miles. who
iold the Senate committee the coun-
try should have standing army Of
ia"'ooo in peace times, SO organized as
10 form tho skeleton of an army that
could he recruited to total 3?4 900 in
war, Senator Knuie Nelson of Min
nesota. Civil War veteran. appeared
before the Senate committee in advo-
cacy of standing army OF 200. 900.
MILLS is QUESTIONED
ny EVERY MEMBER
General Mills was questioned by
every member of the House commit
tee and the trend OF his examination
Indicated Il majority OF the committee
men preferred Generalization of the mi
!itia 10 the continental army scheme
General Mills declared enactment Of
the continental army scheme would not
necessarily destroy the National Guard
He said several states were opposed
TO any Federal control over the Ma
tionai Guard. citing Colorado. Arizona.
Texas and Montana as conspicuous ey-
ampics. His statement brought a Wig
o:ous protest from Acknowledgement
Chase. OF the Colorado National Guard
who was promised II hearing to-mor-
row
General Miles presented an army in
crease plan OF his own His skeleton
army proposal contemplated suf,icien;
recruiting in war time 10 bring I'M IN,
force to $4,000 without adding any
ofcers or new regiments. There would
no ninety regiments of infantry
az a peace strength OF 900 men each
twenty regiments OF field artillery on
peacf footing Of four guns TO n battery.
twenty regiments OF coast artillery. also
on peace footing, and eighteen reei-
ncntS OF cavalry. The recruiting would
bring each infantry regiment Ia 5000
and each light battery TO eight in
stead OF four guns.
There is nothing 10 indicate" said
the general, that a larger military
force Vill be needed in the near future.
III ever"
UNIVERSAL SERVICE
OPPOSED BY MILES
General Miles added that he was not
riarmec Al the reported ability of any
strong European helligcrcnt to land n
force Of 500 100 men and sweep the
coast line. II" disapproved OF any plo-
posai for universal military service, de-
claring You can't Gcrmanizc the
Americas people"
The witness said thar should greater
need arise an army Of 20O 600 coi,I3