The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-03-25
UNCLE SANS DEFENDERS.

birthday of the Militia of the United
| States, that body of citizen soldiers
| who would be first called out to rein
| force Uncle Sans little army in case
| of war. The present widespread agita-
| ton for a greater army and an i'm
| proved and enlarged force of home
| denfenders lends interest to this ami
| verSary.
AS at present constituted the organ
| lied militia of the United States COM
prises but a mere handful of men as
! compared with the total population.
! According to the latest available fig
ures, the militia of the United States
| now includes 1922 officers and
men. Adding to these the 87,248 off,
GERS and men of the regular army or
| ganization, the United States govern
ment has at it's disposal in case of
| conflict a force of about 10000 train
! ed soldiers.
The present militia law of the
! United States makes every able-b odied
/ man between the ages of 1 8 and IS a
member of the reserve Militia but
! it is probable that few citizens are
| aware of that fact. 1t is true, how
| ever, that ''every abIe-bodied and male
| citizen of the respective states, and
| every. ab1e-bodied male of foreis n
| birth who has declared his intention
to become a citizen who is more than
| 18 and less than As years of age" is
a militiaman. The law further sets
forth that these shall be divided into
two c1asses"the organized militia, to
be known as the National Guard or by
such other designations as may be
given them by the laws of the respect
| i've states or territories, the remainder
to be known as the reserve militia"
The comparison between the COR
ganized militia and the reserve
militia" is 1udicrous, with only 1872
2os enrolled in the former body, and
q 80
men in the latter. While few Ameri-
cans are DESTROYS Of inaugurating
system such as prevails in the Swiss
republic, whereby every citizen is
forced to be a soldier, yet the present
war has caused many to view. with
alarm the great disparity between
what the law refers to as organized
and .'unorganized' militia. '3ct-,,5
The militia of all the states of the
Union save three bear the official title
of National. Guard. The Organized
Militia of Delaware, the Massachusetts
Volunteer Militia and the Virginia
Volunteers, constitute the exceptions.
The total of enlisted men in the militia
of the republic is 123,105. led by
91O3 commissioned officers, of whom
1926 are general and general staff
officers, and 7,578 regimental' and
company officers. New York is far
ahead of the other states in the num-
Der of its home defenders, with total
of 17,474 officers and men. Pennsy1--
vania stands second with TO- 89;
Ohio third; with 6.361, and Illinois a
close fourth with 6,334. Massa chu-
sets occupies fifth place with 5,937.
New Jersey and Missouri each have
over 1000, and California; Georgia,
Iowa, Minnesota, Texas and Wiscon-
sin each have between 1000 and 1000
men enrolled in the National Guard.
Utah, with an army of ASS men,
and Delaware, with 502. are close
competitors for the 'tbooby'' prize,
which is really held by Nevada, which
has no organized militia
The Indian wars in the Northwest
were responsible for the original or
ganization of the militia. 1t was
dificult task, for Washingtons sug-
gestion Of the necessity of such body
Immediately plunged Congress into
debate over the respective rights or
the national and state governments.
The Presidents first suggestion led to
the appointment of committee, but
nothing was accomplished A new
committee was appointed in 1890, and
a bill was prepared along lines laid
down by General Knox, then Secre-
tary of War, but no action was taken.
A third militia committee began its
labors in December, 1880. and re-
ported g. bill. which was permitted to
die. At the opening of the second
Congress the President again urged
the organization of militia force, and
Congress appointed another commit |
tee. The House and Senate disagreed
for a time, but on March 27, 1892,
militia bill was finally passed.
The militia system then adopted |
continued in effect, with very little al |
teration, until the outbreak OF the
Civil War. 1t provided for the organi- |
zation of the militia by the state legis- |
latures into companies, battaHons, |
brigades and divisions; |
each company to consist of "a men, |
each battalion of five companies, each |
regiment of two battaIions, and each |
brigade of four regiments. Each was
oficered as now. with minor differ |
ences Provision was made for one
company of light troops to each bat |
talon, and at least one company of |
artillery and one OF cavalry to each |
division, to be formed out of volun- |
teers, and to be clad in uniform at |
their own expense. Each state was to |
an Acknowledgement for the
general supervision of the militia. |
Every ab1e-bodied male citizen be-
tween. the ages Of 1S and As, with Ger
tain exceptions, was to be enrolled in |
the militia by the captain of the com !
pany within whose jurisdiction he |
might reside, and such citizen was to |
arm and uniform himself and appear |
for action when called
The law also authorized the Presf- |
dent in case of foreign invasion or ex- |
tensive Indian uprising, or imminent |
danger itself, or in case Of insurrec-
ton in any state, application being |
made by its governor or legislature, to
call forth the militia of the state or
states most convenient to the scene of
action. Whenever there should be an
invasion or instruction too strong to |
be suppressed by civil authorities, the
President was authorized to call out
might deem necessary.
In time of peace the militia cOnsti- |
tutes. simply an armed local constab-
u1ary. In the Civil War. and in the I
Spanish-American War. the militia of |