The Washington herald., 1916-05-12
The Herald'S Army and Navy Department
Latest and Most Complete News Service and Personnel Published
In Washington
By L. b. JOHNS.

Not until their commanders have re-
ported to Gen. Funston will il be known
how many National Guardsmrn have
been furnished by Texas. Arizona and
New Mexico for service on the border.
The last reports OH the militia of the
three States gives it a Strength of 400
The States are authorized by law to raise
their organizations to war strength upon
being called out by the President. 1t is
understood that an effort is being made
to do this. and in that event the three
States ought to mass on the border
force OF 900 enlisted men.
Under the orders Of the President, TeNas
is asked to call out one brigade Of three
regiments Of infantry. This brigade has
only one maChine-gun company but two
could be added If the men were raised
Texas has also three troops Of cavalry
one battery of field artillery and one field
hospital with tota, strength according
to the latest War Department report Of
about $500. BY raising the strength Of the
infantry companies to 10 and the cavalry
troops to 100 and the other organizations
to war strength. Texas would have 6,l@9
men in the field.
New Mexico has a regiment of infantry
with nine companies, one battery of field
artillery, which at a war strength would
be 1850, and Arizona a regiment of in
fantry with eleven companies, at a war
strength of !, ,42l.
The War Department has taken the
necessary steps to arm and equip these
organizations at war strength, if they can
be raised. All of the necessary arms.
ammunition and equipment have been
shipped by the War Department to the
mobilization points.
While active petty officers of the
navy cannot be detailed to private
nautical schools the Navy Department
is authorized under a decision of Capt.
Ridley Mclean, judge advocate general
of the navy, to detail retired petty Of
ficers. In schools with less than $50
~'Nnents takin- military instructions
it is optional with the petty officer.
The opinion was rendered by the
judge advocate general in response to
an inquiry that had been made by a
military academy. A number of insti-
tutions are planning to secure petty
officers as instructors IN seamanshIp.
Some of them have expressed the pref
erenCe for active petty officers, but
there is no authority under the law
by which they can be assigned to this
duty.
If the services of the Fifth Cavalry
are required on the border it will be
necessary to abandon the military
training camp this year. 1t is under
stood that the Fifth Cavalry has been
selected for this duty on account of
its present station. The headquarters
and third squadron can be ordered
from Fort Myer to Plattsburg, while
the other two squadrons can take care
OF the training camps in the Middle West
and South
All of the joint militia camps have
been abandoned on account of the
lack of troops to conduct them. Bat
terys D, E and were on their way
to Tobyhanna to open the National
Guard field artillery instruction camp
when the~orders were received from
the Secretary to hold in readiness for
service on the border. The officers
camp at Tobyhanna, which was to
have been held from May q to June
(, has been abandoned. There is bill
appropriating 100000 for National
Guard field artillery camps pending in
the Senate. This has already passed
the House and II it should pass the
Senate the battery school at Toby
hanna for the militia will be held. All
of the detached army officers that arc
, available will be sent to Tobyhanna
to instruct the militia.