The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-29
ALL LIABLE FOR
WAR TIME SERVICE
| No Further Act Required to
Call Out Able Bodied
Men, Is to As
PROVISION FOR
DEPENDENT FAMILIES
The Reserve Is to Remain an Unor-
ganized Body in Peace Times, Elk
cept for Temporary Service-To Be
Composed of Experienced Men.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-Every able
bodied male citizen of the United States
between the ages of IS and 45 years is held
Liable for service in the National Guard in
war time, without further act of congress
by war department regulations for the
government of the guard issued under the
national defense act. In a circular pre-
Jared nearly two months ago but made
Tublic only yesterday. the militia bureau
directs that where a National Guard regi-
ment is called out for war service re-
serve training battalion to fill vacancies at
the front shall be organized out of the
National Guard reserve and by voluntary
enlistment.
IF for any reason, the order continues,
there shall not be enough reservists or
enough voluntary enlstments to organize
O. to keep the reserve battalions at pre-
lscribed strength sufficient number of the
lunorganized militia shall be drafted by
| the President to maintain such battalion
or other lesser reserve unit at the pre-
scribed strength
| The language follows closely that of the
national defense act. in which the unor
| eanized militia is defined as including
| every able-bodied male citizen within the
prescribed age limit or those who have
| declared their intention OF becoming citi-
IONS.
| The National Guard regulations, which
| will be ampHtied in great detail later, also
strike at the problem OF dependent fami-
! lies OF soldiers, which has cost the govern
ment several millions of dollars already
through the border mobilization. Recruit
ing officers for the National Guard are d.
rccted to discourage the enlistment of
married men or those with others depend
eIt upon them. Such persons are to be
accepted only for reasons in the public in
terest, men who wish to become officers
being the only class specifically excepted.
The regulations provide that no officer
IOt the guard hereafter shall be recognized
as such under the defense act unless he
shall have subscribed to an oath binding
him to obey the orders of the President
and of the governor of the state. Ap
pointments will be made on recommends.
ton to the secretary OF war from govern
ols or the commanding officers of state OF
territorial units of the guard and after
proper physical and mental examinations
by boards of officers. Promotions will be
handled in the same way and any officer
who fails in examination as to his profes
sional ability cannot come up for re-exam
nation within a year.
After three years active service, ol
when the organizations are disbanded, Ma
tional Guard officers may pass into tn,
National Guard reserve.
The reserve is to remain an unorganizet
body in peace times except for temporar!
purposes. 1t will be composed of men VIII,
| have served three years in active organ
izations and whose enlistment contract
VIII require them to serve three more il
the reserve unless they prefer active ser
vice. They will hold the same rank in tn
reserve that they had at the time of fur
Tough from active service except tina
when drafted into the federal service the
will report in the grade of private