Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-06-22
WOULD IMPROVE COMPANY NJ
Col. Reeves Tells Merchants
Some Plain Facts.
Hints at Universal Military Service
Hearers Applaud speaker Warmly
-Committcc Appointed to
Act with Officers.

Colonel Ira J.. Reeves, president of
Norwich University and commander of
the Vermont National Guard. told the
seventy-nve members of the Merchants
association who attended the dinner ut
the Van Ness House Friday night some
plain truths about tho state of the coun-
trys defence in general and about Com
pany NJ. Burllngton's national guard
company, I'm particular, which brought
home to his listeners in no uncertain
fashion the fact that the time for con
lecture about these matters had passed
and that the time for action was ut
hand While Colonel Reeves never poses
as n pessimist or alarmlst, and simply
stated the truth about matters in n
plain, matter-of-fact way, his talk SO inn
pressed his audience that Il resolution
was passed instructing Henry II. Ilagar,
president Of the association, who presided
last evening. to appoint a committee Of
five to cooperate with the officers Of
Company VI to endeavor to restore it to
an efficient basis. Tho only means Of de-
fence left if our citizen soldiery which
Is symbolized by the national guard, fails
us, said Colonel Reeves, ig either a large
standing army or universal military serv-
ice, and as tho net increase of our ARM
after three months OF campaigning for
recruits is less than 100 men. universal
military service would seem to hn tho
only solution of our problems.
The speaker first explained tho working
Of the new preparedness measures passed
by Congress which have recently lecomo
law and then considered the question Of
the national guard. lie showed how in
effective in case Of war would he our
present small standing army and described
graphically the manner in which "A hostile
army could land on our shores without
encounterng any organized resistance
Wars are not brought about by soldiers
but by the pressure of economic condi-
tons. declared Colonel Reeves, and the
prosperity of the United states places it
in an extremely precarious condition.
After detailing the manner in which
the national guard throughout the
question of tho Vermont National
Guard. The strength of the Vermont
guard will be increased from 1000 men
to 1900 enlisted men with about 500
officers. There will not only he this
numerical increase but the regiment
will be brought to a new standard of
efficiency and tho militia organizations
Ian over the country will either have
to make good or collapse. 4 private
in the militia will receive about SO q
year and commissioned officers
iabout $40 year. The schedule of
work has been revised and will now
be conducted by officers of the rcgu-
Lar army There will be no play and
only hard work from henceforth
Company NJ, said Colonel Reeves,
was not even a partially efficient com
ipany and the government would not
pass it in it's present condition at an
other inspection. This is not the fault
CT Captain Hudson or the other com
Ipany officers but because the standard
of the enlisted men has been lowered.
| He urged the business men of the city
to get behind the company and use
their influence to restore it to an eff
icicnt basis. There is no man too
good, too poor or too rich to serve in
the militia. declared the speaker, and
If the proper class of men take hold of
affairs in the proper patriotic spirit il
viii mean placing the militia almost
on a par with the regular army as a
means of national defence. COlonc
Reeves urged the business men to give
the matter the proper consideration
and aid the matter in every possibl,
way
At the conclusion of Colonel Reeves!
address there We're brief talks by Cap
tains Hudson and Grandy of this city
which were followed by an informa
discussion of various questions suG
gested by the speakers address. Pres
ident Hagar will name his committee
to confer with the officers of Compan,
NJ to-day