Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-01
LACK or EQUIPMENT ANDTRAIN-
ING EvrDENcEDRY REsPoNcE
TO BORDER CALL.
TOO MANY RECRUITS
WITH NO EXPERIENCE
Florida Troops Ordered to Border But
Can Not Obey con,n,and-Troas!es
Among Men in Iowa and Minnesota
Evidences Of Unpreparedness-onIy
$4,000 Now En- Route.

Washington, July 1-Altho nation
al guardsmen Of 20 states have been or
dered to specific destinations on the
border, and militia Of other states are
expecting orders momentarily, ol.iy
fraction of the troops designated ale
actually under way.
War department officials are bend
ing every effort today to speed up
mobilization of the guard at the border
despite the apparent relaxation Of the
Mexican tension but they admit with
chagrin that the condition Of organ
lied militia as whole has proved dis
appointing.
There are five reasons for this con-
dition:
First-Lack Of equipment.
Second-Refusal Of guardSmen to
take the federal oath.
Third-Physical condition of the men.
Fourth-Lack of military training.
Fifth-Difficulty Of recruiting the
guard to war strength.
Dangers Are Pointed Out.
The whole business has been an eye
opener to the country. It's second line
of defense has proven even a shadow.
Army officers declare that Canada with
the men it has trained for the Euro
pean war could oyerrun this country
and hold portions of it until we. by
painful struggles, trained soldiers and
ousted 1t. The military situation is
summed up by Henry L. Stimson in this
fashion.
Under the presidents order Of last
Monday the militia units called out in
the eastern department, when fully re-
cruited up to war strength, would COM
prise 12S,000 men. By Saturday night
there had assembled either in camp or
at their armories less than $4,000 men
on: of this $4,000 which were ordered.
Only per cent of the men now as
sembled have had training with the
national guard for one year, or more.
we are engaged in new military
experiment. Under our new law we
are trying to find out whether our state
militia can be made the foundation for
national army.
Lack Of Faith in Troop Law.
THE trial Of the militia as a second
line of defense is now on. Mexico
started 1t. but Mexico IL merely Incl
dental. What the country Is trying to
learn Is whether the present law is
valuable. Very few experts have any
faith in 1t whatever but congress Is so
welded to the state troop system that
1t will try 1t out to the last extremity
before putting in force universal SER
vice"
The war department plans to take
action against militiamen who refuse to
take the federal oath. In a commune
cation sent to Adjutant General Cole of
Massachusetts, the department took the
stand that discharges granted members
of the militia who refused to- take the
federal oath or members with depend
ent families were illegal The COM
munication called attention to a sec
ton of the law which provides that
militiaman who refuses to be mustered
into the federal service upon demand
Of the president shall be subject to
courtmartial. 1t is expected that court
martial will be the order in states where
any large number of guardsmen refuse
to take the oath.
No Equipment at Smelling.
Minnesota's guard at Fort Smelling is
delayed by lack OF equipment The
number Of raw recruits also makes it
impracticable to dispatch them to the
border without further military train
ing.
Wisconsin, which few days ago re-
ported It's troops all ready to go to the
border has only five companies ready
to take the federal oath, according to
reports from Camp Douglas today, and
even these cannot start for the border
before Monday. The state, too, is suf-
ferins from lack of equipment.
Iowa may lose its cavalry, 1856 out of
3os members of the first Squadron re-
fusing to take the federal oath.
Major Wildman, U. S. A., declined to
muster in the 1l2 men who were will
ing to take the oath on the ground that
it is impossible 70 receive into the army
less than four troops. The situation