Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-17
Ehrntng Ullat

| - "'S bSiHS uemODlllZeQ anu
gradually going back to their old
lines of employment and the States
are studying means of reforming
tneir militia much is being heard
apout the National Guard of Penn
| sSlVania, especially in this city, which
was one or the big centers of such af-
falrs, not only because it is the
state capital, but owing to the in
terest OF its men in the guard. The
National Guard of this State is to
pe reconstructed. Pennsylvania is
one of the few States which arrang-
ed for such action. While there was
some effort put forth at Washington
to get rid of the Guard, the act Great
ing the Pennsylvania Reserve Militia
explicitly stated that it should act
only as replacement for the Ma
tional Guard during the war. The
Guard was thus kept going as an
| organization, although, of course,
the connection of the personnel with
it ceased when they went into federal
| service. But the State has authority
to reconstruct it's Guard when 1t is
ready and it is expected that many
of the men who saw service in
France or in camps in this country
or in the Reserve Militia will enter
the State service.
Reorganization of the National
Guard will probably not be effected
until late in the summer or early
in the autumn as it will be neces-
sary for congressional action to pro-
vide the funds under the national
defence act. Meanwhile plans will
be worked out for the formation of
the division on u peace footing as
constituted before the entry into
Federal service in 1917. 1t is prob
able that the States will not have
much to do with the air service, al
though in other lines the organized
militia will be armed and equipped
as are the regulars. The present
plans call for the formation of nine
regiments of infantry, one of cavalry,
one of engineers, three of artillery
and the signal and other auxiliary
troops together with the trains.
There will be three brigades of in
fantry and one of artillery. The old
designations will be given to the
regiments. In all likelihood the Re-
serve Militia will constitute the base
for many of the new organizations.
The Reserve Militia will go through
the program of summer camps and
other work as planned. The $500
: Springfield rifles ordered for these
troops are on the way and they will
take them to camp at Mt Gretna.
Machine gun detachments will be
part of regimental organizations in
, stead of separate battalions 1t Is pc
leved. Steps will also be taken after
Congress acts to reorganize the naval
militia. In a short time 1T is en-
/ pected that the reorganization OF
the Adjutant Generals Department
on the bureau system will be worked
: out, the legislation being about
through the General Assembly.
, The Philadelphia Evening Bulle-
; tin in the course of an article on the
, future of the Guard says: I'm the
past few years the Pennsylvania
Guard has undergone many reor-
ganizations, beginning with the adop-
r ton of the comprehensive Military
Code" in 1911, and supplemented by
the reorganization measure adopted
at the sessions of the 1915 and 1917
Legislatures Under the 1917 law,
passed for the purpose of carrying
into effect the National Defense
Act" which Congress had adopted in
. the previous year, the quota or
, troops in the State was to consist or
nine regiments of infantry, one regi-
men of engineers, one regiment or
cavalry, three regiments of field ar
tillery, and the various special corps
and auXiliaries needed to complete
the military establishment. But,
under the terms of the Federal laws,
L the President is now the controller
: of the National Guard, and it is left
s. to him to determine the particular
: quotas, units or branches of the SER
= vice which each State is to maintain
in order that the various State or
ganizations may be welded together.
n in time of war, as effective tactical
: units. According to the Federal
= regulations, if the Guard should be
re-established. Philadelphia would
: have sixteen hundred militiamen in
, place of probably double that num-
u ber who served in the war, while the
e State, at the beginning, would have
less than eight thousand milittamen
in place of the ten thousand main
9 tanned in the days of the old guard
. Eventually, the quotas of both Phila-
4 deIphia and of the State would be
larger than they were in 1915, or al
- the beginning of 1917. Meanwhile
- the Militia Bureau complains that
lack of funds prevents it from carry
ing out the provisions of the Hay
: | act and that, until Congress de-
: termines the future status of the
10 armed forces of the nation, little car
be done toward reorganizing the
guardsmen."
G, 1t is very probable that when the
: new Guard is organized that Harris
~ burg will be as important center
of military activity as it was wher
the war began. This city was the
,s Headquarters of the Eighth Infantry
q and the headquarters and supply and
! two letter companies were located
a here with the machine gun company
d on the West Shore. 1t has not peer
~ datermined as vet where the units
= will he located, but Harrisburg
=, stands a good show of having as
y MANY companies as heretofore. Be
vond all question the Governor
10 Troop will be restablished and may.
7e be the proposition to make it the
headquarters troop can De pu'
| t11