The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-07
0Hp# REGIMENT III
Professor -Lieutenant Spaul-
ding Says State Sol
diers Are Ready.

The Second regiment of the Mons
tana National guard il thoroughly cf-
ficient since its, experience ON the
Mexican border and could take its
place, at the front with the regular
army should war be declared making
necessary the. use Of the land forces.
This II the opinion of Thomas C.
Spaultiing. first lieutenant in the guard
and a member of the faculty Of the
State University school of forestry. He
saw service on the border last summer.
Lieutenant Spaulding has received
word from Helena that no orders have
been received detailing the guard to
protect property in the state in an-
ticipation Of disorders arising out Of
the present grave crisis.
Until the guard was called to the
border 1t had no intensive training
since the Spanish war; said Lieutenant
Spaulding yesterday. "The efficiency
of the, organization was not up to the
standard due partly to lack of rigorous
training and also to lack of equipment.
At the present time the equipment is
adequate for all companies.
Number Increased.
"Durina the Mexican trouble the
companies were increased from 65 to
$50. men. ,Equipping the new men re-
suited in confusion at the army de-
pots and q charge of inefficiency of the
guard organizations of the country
was the result. The Montana regiment
was as efficient as the average in
fantry Of the regular army in Sep
tember and October after the season.
ing process on the border This is
true Of the other National guard Or
CARNATIONS.
Extra work has been expended to
improve the aerial and signal corps
Of the guard organizations. The Ma
tional guard. man for man, machine
for machine will compare with those
Of any European nation"
Lieutenant Spaulding says that in
case Of trouble the present organiza-
aon would probably be enlarged from
10 to 20ftimes, depending on, the con-
dition of the enemy. Transportation
has also been revolutionized to i'm
prove the efficiency Of the guard. he
says. The old mule team with a ca
pacity of two tons and daily aver
age of 20 miles has been supplanted
by q more efficient form of transport
tation. Motor trucks with a capacity
of three to four tons or more and an
average of 100 miles daily are rapidly
taking the place of the mule teams.
The infantry depends largely on the
motor trucks for transportation.
"A soldier can be whipped into
shape in a period Of IL to IS months
while it takes years to train officers"
he continued. when the Montana
regiment. was called out. in 1916 they
had NO machine guns and a company
was not formed until they received
the proper equipment. After receiving
the necessary equipment the training
began in earnest and continued until
the troops were mustered out on their
return heme."
That members of the militia are en-
listing in the regular army because
they have lost their home jobs as a
result of border service, Ms the belief
of Professor Spaulding.
There are many men in the militia
service on the border who have
learned that the jobs they left at
home when they went to the front are
not open to them now," he said. "The
uncertainty of the situation at home
leads those who have not families, in
many instances. to enlist in the reg
ular service rather than face the un-
certainty of being out of work when |
they get back"