Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-03-17

men and some kind of continental
army of volunteers.
Territorials Versus Reserves.
The territorials in England CORE
spond to our militia Your correspond
ent saw some of these territorials in
the training camps. 1t was supposed
that they had learned a good deal
about military matters generally and
drill and discipline in particular. 1t is
perfectly true that these men knew
how to wheel by fours, by platoons.
knew guard mount and skirmish drill
after a fashion. and knew about some
other things military, but they we're
long ways from being in condition to
stand up against the enemy in Elan.
ders.
AS for the men of the army reserve
they were ready after few weeks In
camp to go against any proposition
that any enemy might offer. These
we're the men who had seen service In
the regular army and who had gone
into the reserve on the expiration OF
their enlistments-
The special reserve of the British
army, as Mr.. oliver says. was no re
serve like the first, for it was wholly
unfit to take the field upon the out
break of hostilities. This special re
serve was supposed to be well trained
and in fact laws had been passed
which 1t was thought would keep the
reserve in good shape and ready for
emergencies. The trouble was thai
the laws and regulations had not beer
enforced and the result was that a
force that was depended upon to be
ready. waa far from ready.
The National City Troop.
There are forty Washington news
paper men who are so thoroughly COM
mitted to preparedness and to the mil
itary service of their country that in
case of war every one of them would
be morally bound to desert his news
paper work and to report to the war
department for duty.
Under the title National City
Troop" the newspaper men have been
in training since last autumn. The
commanding officer of the outfit is
Lieut.. H. M. Groninger of the Fifth
United States cavalry. The newspaper
men report for drill at least once a
week, and frequently oftener, at Fort
Myer. Va. which is just across the Po-
tomac from Washington.
One of the members of the organiza-
tion has written the story of it's incep-
ton. its work and it's purposes. 1t he
presented herewith.
'The troop wal, organized In Sep
tember. 1915, upon the initiative of the
newspaper men themselves. and com
mittee appealed to Secretary of War
Garrison to see what assistance he
could give. Secretary Garrison was
quick to take advantage of the offer
of the correspondents, and it was
largely through his personal interest
that matters were arranged satisfac-
torily. Every facility has been thrown
open to the troops, and while there has
been very little advertising of its ex
close in touch with army affairs are
familiar with what is going on and are
watching the experiment with inter
est. Mai. Gen. Hugh Scott, chief oi
staff and now acting secretary of war
has personally inspected the troop in
its mounted work
For the three months ending in De
cember, 1915, the work of the troop in
cluded fifteen hours dismounted drill
and about six hours pistol target prac
tice. five hours rifle target practice
two hours saber drill, four hours equi
tation and one-half an hour lecture
Beginning with January l. 1916. tht
work was materially increased. The
troop reports for duty at Fort Myer a
$3.50 on Sunday morning and is dis
missed between twelve and one
o'clock. This period is devoted to rid
ing, either in the drill hall or out o
doors, to gymnasium work and to dis
mounted drill. On Wednesday eve
ming the troop reports at sever
O'Clock at an armory in Washington
where 1t goes through dismountet
drill for one hour. followed by an hou
and a half or two hours of classroom
work in which the elements of map
making. strategy and military scienc
are taught.
| Most OF Them Raw Recruits.
"Some of the members of this troo
have had experience in militia organ
zations, and some have had the rud
ments of military education in pre-
paratory schools or in colleges, but tn
majority are absolutely raw recruit
who have to be told how to stand u
straight how to make a right face
how to salute, not to say how to exc
cute the manual of arms. find and kee
their places in drill formation. aim
rife, mount a horse and ride at
walk without falling off.
Some half dozen of this troop ar
beyond the age of active military ser,
ice. but these men figure out that i
case of war they would have sma
tering of military knowledge sufficier
to make them available for use. pc
haps in training the recruits, perhap
in duty at the war department, or /
one of the military arms of the ser
ice.
Most Of the men are between tn
ages of twenty-five and thirty-fve an
it is planned that when their course {
two years shall be completed they wi
take examinations for commissions
officers to be called upon by the ws
department in case of necessity L
to the present time 1t is interestir
and significant to note that this troc
! has not had a single purely soci
J meeting. The men are all hard-wor
ing and busy citizens throughout Il
week"
The British government pays Quet
; | Alexandria an annuitv of 9250 000