Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-04-12
No Sd. BATTALION
OF State TROOPS
Brigsdier General Mann Ad-
viSeS Adjutant General
WickerSham to This
Effect
ALL UNITS MUST
HAVE ARMORIES

A communication containing valu-
able information relative to militia or
CARNATIONS has just been received by
Adjutant General /. p. Wiokersham
from Brigadier General William A.
Mann OF the general staff According
to the bulletin there is no probability
of a third battalion being organized
in this STATE to bring the militia up
TO the full strength of a regiment
The communication follows:
State of Delaware.
Office of the Adjutant General,
Wilmington, April II, 1917.
Bulletin No. >.
The following letter from the Mil
itia Bureau is published for the in
formation and guidance OF all con
cerned:
War Department Militia Bureau,
Washington, April 5, 1917.
NIB. 1884
From-The chief, Militia Bureau.
To-The adiutanls general Of all
STATES Except Nevada the territory
of Hawaii and the District of Col
umbia. and to all inspector-instruc-
tors.
Subiect-war Department policy as
to new National Guard units.
I. The laws under which the Ma
tional Guard exists contemplate the
following conditions:
(a) Home rendezvous with suitable
armories.
(bl A fair amount Of permanency
of personnel, which is to be drawn
from the immediate vicinity where the
organization Is located.
(c) The probability that the organ
ization will be maintained for per-
iod Of years-kep. alive by e.enlist-
ments and acquisition of recruits
ID Weekly drills az the armory.
(e) Development of force. equip
ped and partially trained in time Of
peace. which can be called upon for a
certain class Of service in time of
emergency.
>. The National Guard idea does
not extend 20 and embrace the or
ganization Of entirely new units. with
no arm cries. no grouping Of per-
sonnet according to localities, no
probable permanency of existence
upon the eve Of. or after the begin
ming of hOstilities.
y
tional Guard is designed to give Fed
eral aid to States and assistance and
a certain amount OF supervision from
the Federal Government, in the Or
ganization and training of National
Guard troops in the various States,
with a view to providing the States
with a suitable military force for
emergency use, the Federal Govern
ment retaining the right to call the
National Guard into United States
service when necessary.
a. In a situation in which the ma
ton is face to face with a crisis. and
the regular forces (army and navy
plus the National Guard, are unable
TO meet the situation and give all the
protection necessary and more troops
are needed, the law does not con-
template that the Federal Govern
ment shall then call upon the State
TO form more National Guard troops
in order that they may be called into
Federal service. The laws place this
responsibility of organizing more
troops for strictly Federal use upon
the Federal Government where il
properly belongs. Both from the
standpoint of justice to the States
and of efficiency OF the forces, the
Federal Government should have the
duty and the responsibility of organ
izing all forces additional to the Ma
tiomal Guard after the Guard has
been called into the United States
service. Therefore. the fixed policy
of the War Department will be as
follows:
(a) No new National Guard units
will be recognized which do not have
I. Suitable armories.
.. Personnel grouped by locality
so as to insure the possibility OF at
tendance at drill.
3. Probable nermanency.
OBJ No new units will be authorized