Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-07
STOP STRADDL|NC THE FENCE !
Militia and Regulars Alike Dis
gusted with War Dept.
High Army OTicer Says Half Post Of
fccr- Have waited NainIy since
July 1 for motions-Inspcc-
tor-GcncraI at Fort.

The state militia Is as Disguised with
the vacillation of the war department as
the regulars are themselves, and vice
versa Those are the strongest superia-
tives that could he used Officers of the
First Vermont Infantry and army Of
fcers at the post are impatient at the
uncertainty that has prevailed in Wash
ington during the past few months
An army officer of high rank who
should know says that half the officers
at Fort Ethan Allen are waiting for
promotions to take effect that were
scheduled July /. The latter are among
1000 officers in the regular army, he said.
whose promotion have been delayed. To
hold up a promotion more than two
weeks was unprecedented before this. he
declared. AS for the militia a recon-
mendation had been made in the proper
Quarters that the remaining companies
and unassigned recruits in the state he
either sent to the border or discharged
from active service. Asked by whom and
TO whom the recommendation was made,
he refused to say.
The lack Of decision at the Capital is
felt quite as keenly among the militia
both officers and men The event of a
week ago Wnen Ine state gudTu uluH L
60 to Eagle Pass merely heaped injury
| upon insult in their minds. One officer
called it a huge Joke" but there was
anything but smile on his face when
| he said II.
ANY chance of the mobilization camps
being demobilized?" a reporter asked
Inspector-General J. i. Chamberlain of
| the department Of the East, who spent
| Tuesday and Wednesday inspecting the
militia. You'll have to ask Mr.. Wilson.
was the reply, made in all soberness, the
| intimaton being that the President was
the commander Of the army, as Of course
he is. This is the inspector generals first
call upon the militia Of the State He
doesn't express opinions as he said
but the criterion Of excellence which he
| held up to the militia will probably stick
in their minds for some years to come
He said he and his subordinate inspector:
were inspecting each of the Is mobiliza
ton camps in the eastern depe rtment.
The militia officers have opened head
quarters at E-12 barracks, where fv,
rooms have been assigned to thel' use
Adjutant General Lee s. Tillotson hal
been at the post almost daily since tn,
militia took up their quarters there :
week ago. but Wednesday moved hi
headquarters 10 ST. Adams, His work IL
connection with the militia there 4
finished. practically speaking
Major S. s Watson of ST. Adams. VIII
was in charge of the quartermaster'
department of the militia. has been mus
tered out of the service, and the head
quarters at what was Camp Governo
Gates has been nailed up and the res
of the tents removed. Sergeant Car
Henkel. former clerk at the camp. ha
left.
The work OF the unassigned rec ruit
has not been changed either in kind O
amount, but is being executed niue
better. The marching and alignment ar
: superior TO what they We're, and men
appearance is more soldierly.
= Four enlisted men who came back frol
the border last Thursday night, afte
the Acknowledgement received the orde
that no men, either college students {
men with dependents, We're to be di'
charged, were held in spite of the fa'
that they had applied for discharge seN
!, eral days before They missed their trai
II at New Orleans, it is said, and arrive
too late. The authorities argued thu
their time of discharge was to date
granted from the hour of their arriva
s The eleven college students wto r.
5. manned at the post and didn't GO
e Brattleboro have also stayed in Il
Y service.