The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-15
GUARD UNITS OF
LESS Than 100
UNAUTHORIZED.
ORGANIZATION on Old Basis of 65
Men Is Wanted in Many Lo-
calities on Account of ArmOry
and Other Facilities.
sx GEORGE Il. MANNING.

Washington, D. c., Sept. 14.-The
secretary Of war is without authority
to permit the organization and recog-
milton of national guard units or less
than one hundred men after the pres
ent war emergency is over
TItis decision was reached today
and a copy sent to the governors ana
adjutants general of all the states.
The war department went deeply
into this matter and reached its de-
cision today in response to the appear
made in person, by telegram and by
letter from authorities of several
states that the proposed new national
guard organization be based on the
old unit of sixty-fiye men TO COM
pany instead of one hundred men, as
provided in the war departments plan
for national guard organization.
The question of national guard re-
organization, especially the numericai
strength of the unit, was threshed
out quite thoroughly at the confer
ence of governors held about two
weeks ago in Salt Lake City.
The two principal objections they
made to the 100-man unit We're:
/. That many towns which have
heretofore furnished the men and the
finances for a 65-man company can
do so in the future, but cannot sup
port a 100-man company.
2. That the armories were built to
accommodate the 65man unit and
would have to be enlarged or rebuilt
to accommodate national guard or
ganizations in 65-man multiples.
The Alabama state guard organiza-
tions have already commenced to
come into the national guard, several
companies being already enrolled, war
department officials stated today.
Mississippi has also decided to come
into the national guard.
Florida has not yet come in, how
ever The Florida state officials made
a proposition regarding enrolling the
Florida guard in the national guard
that was unsatisfactory to the war
department, officials said, and it was
turned down.
Several of the states have declined
to come into the national guard, Civ
ing their objection to the 65-man
unit, as the reason.
The amount of financial support the
states will receive from the govern
ment. under the new arrangement has
not been definitely fixed, but as the
plans for this year provide an appro-
priation of s12,100,000 for an author
lied national guard of 10000 men
throughout the United States. the
states will receive in round numbers
s114 per annum for each guardsman
enrolled in the national guard, of
about S11,400 for each 10o-man unit.
The war departments letter to the
governors and adjutants general reads
as follows:
1T appears from the opinion of the
judge advocate general that even in
time of peace, any regulations pro-
mulgated by the secretary of war per-
mitting national guard companies to
be organized and recognized at a re-
duced strength, would necessarily
have to be general in their applica-
ton, and apply TO the companies or
ganized in large as well as small or
sparsely settled communities. AS most
of the national guard units viii be
needed. and organized in communi-
ties large enough to maintain COM
panies of at least one hundred men,
and especially on account of the re-
quirements of collective training
which can only be realized with a COM
pany of at least one hundred men. il
is not deemed advisable to make any
general reduction in the strength of
all national guard units, even after
the termination of the present war
period
In those communities which are
too small to maintain a company of
one hundred men, and where the state
authorities deem II essential that
national guard troops be located the