Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-24
THE GUARDS OPPORTUNITY.


The opportunity Of the national
guard to make itself an efficient instru-
ment for national defense. has come.
The calling out of the militia, the Or
der to recruit to war strength, the
mobilization of the regiments, brigades
and divisions, presents the very chance
that guardsmen have wanted foryears.
Men and equipment and movement en-
masse have been cried for in vain by
those who had the interests of the
guard at heart. Until now they could
not get that which they wanted. Now
plenty Of men are willing to enlist, the
nation will have to come to scratch on
the matter Of equipment and with the
entire organization under arms and In
camp the chance to maneuver large
groups Of soldiers is at hand. -
The rapid assembling of the militia
in the last few days, has occasioned
considerable favorable comment
throughout the country, The men
answered the call readily enough and
when compared with the time it would
require to get volunteers and drill
them, the performance of the militia
appears creditable. ~t
Nevertheless there is food for
thought among those who understand
that there Is something more to an
army than just men and guns Without
any disposition to belittle the national
guards, these facts should be consid
cred.
The guard when called out, lacked
$4,000 men Of being up to peace
strength and is short $4,000 men Of
war strength. ~ "a s.
OF the twelve divisions existing on
paper, only two, the sixth New York
and the seventh Pennsylvania, have a
divisional headquarters organized
OF the thirty-six brigades, on paper,
making these divisions, only twenty
eight have their headquarters organic
ed. Due to the troops of many Of the
brigades and most of the divisions be-
ing from different states, and the war
department having no regular officers
to spare, there is no one available for
these STATS. .u.
For the 1877 regiments Of infantry
and cavalry there should be 6S5 ma
chine guns. At last reports a few
weeks ago there were but 172 in the
possession of the various regiments
The ordnance department had only II
available There were 81 others in the
sea coast defenses, but they were
needed there. 49,
Transportation is Of the utmost i'm
portance in any field operation and this
will be particularly true in Mexico. Yet
tho sixth New York division is the
only one with complete regimental and
divisional wagon trains. The seventh
Pennsylvania has complete regimental
trains but no wagons at all for the
trains of the other ten divisions.
The regiments of these divisions
need 623 wagons to complete their reg
ular trains. Illinois has enough wagons
for its regiments. AS number of the
states have not sufficient storage space
the government has stored at Jeffer-
sonville depot 279 wagons with the
necessary harness issued to these
states. In other words, when they
need these wagons and harness, they
will have to wait until they can be
shipped from Jeffersonville.
The national guard troops are sup
piled with enough equipment for their
peace strength, but. like the regulars
would need additional arms, clothing,
and equipment for the men enlisted to
bring them to war strength The same
holds true with regard to their tent
age.
sts5#t. #
DRUG ACT DEFECTIVE.
The decision of the supreme court