The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-01-23
BUSY SESSION
FOR LEGISLATURE
Topics Of Transcendent State
Importance Will Press for At
tention of Jersey SoIons.
DISBANDING N. J. MILITIA.
Organization Will Be Supplanted by
Reorganized National Guard Units.
Gilkyson and Murray viii
Be Asked to Quit.

Trenton. = The legislative session
promises to be one of the most inter
esting in many years. Topics of tran
scendent state Importance will press
for attention, such as woman suffrage
the liquor traffic, public utilities re-
forms, teachers salaries, housing regu-
lations, statutes affecting labor, day
light saving, state highways, correc-
tional and charitable institutions, and
so on. Sharp conflicts between Dem
Ocratic executive and a Republican leg
islature, each playing for capital on
the eve of presidential campaign.
will prevent many dull moments from
now until final adjournment.
After Glkyson and Murray.
Information was sent out from Jer-
sey City to the effect that If Adjutant
General Frederick Gilkyson and Quar-
termaster General E. Edward Murray,
both Of Trenton, do not tender their
designations to Governor Edwards
within a week after he Is inaugurated
they will be asked to resign. 1t is re-
ported that this was decided upon at o,
conference of the so called advisory
committee.
When the reports were called to the
attention of Edwards and he was ask.
ed whom he had in mind as successors
to Gilkyson and Murray he declined to
discuss the matter. He did admit that
there are several applicants for the
high military Jobs, which now carry an
annual salary of $1,000 each, the pay
having been boosted by the last lesis-
lature from $500 year The COVER
nor elect added that he may have sorae-
thing to say later.
Generals Gilkyson and Murray are
Republicans, and Gilkyson was cam
paign manager of Newton A X. Bug
bee. AT the governors office at the
state house it was said that 1t Rfs
been the practice of General Murray 10
tender his resignation to each new gov-
ernor. As to General Gilkyson, he was
appointed by Governor Edge, and there
is no precedent in his case In former
years both the quartermaster and adj
jutant generals made it a practice to
resign to each governor, but in 80 far
as the adjutant general is concerned
the practice stopped with General
Alexander C. Oliphant When General
Gilkyson was asked about the situation
he said he did not care to discuss ii in
the absence of information as to what
Governor Edwards course may be.
There is considerable doubt whether
or not the governor can force the res
ignations of the adiutant and quarter
master generals if they should feel in
clined not to tender them. But in the
cases of the present incumbents there
is feeling among their close friends
that if Edwards wants them out they
will resign.
In the case of General Brientnall.
whose resignation was asked TO make
way for the appointment of the late
Adjutant General Sadler BrientnalI
refused to quit at the request of Gov
ernOr Fort, whereupon an effort was
made to enforce the military retire
ment act against him A suit resulted.
in which Brientnall sought to retain
the place, but before the case was CON
cluded the litigation was dropped
Brientnall got out, and Sadler took the
place, which he held until the time of
bis death.
Disbands State Militia.
The emergency for which the New
Jersey state militia was organized,
when the former National Guard units
went into the federal service in 1917.
having passed, the governor authorized
disbandment of the remaining militia
organizations, which will eventually be
supplanted by reorganized National
Guard units. This authorization af-
fects every arm of the militia, from the
adjutant generals department down to
companies.
Under the order the Second Bat
TALON of the state militia, with head
quarters in Trenton, will go out of ex-
istence. Majof Harry P. Moorhead of
this city is commander of the battalion,
which consisG Of five companies, A of
Camden. Barton S. Muir captain; B of
Mount Holly, Winfield S. Gale captain:
c of Trenton Caleb C. Houston cap
tain; D of Pennington and Somerville,
Lieutenant Harry Ball commanding,
and E of Phillipsburg, William r. Law
renee captain.
Major MOtrhead's staff is made up
of Adjutant Charles H. Weelans of
this city, Surgeon Joseph D. Lawrence
of Merchantville, Supply Officer Harry
NJ Strattoh of Trenton Chaplain Rich
ard A. Conover of Gloucester City,
Lieutenant Clifford C. Powell of Mt.
Holly, inspector of small arms. The
band of the battalion has headquarters
at Collingswood
Men who Joined the militia enlisted
for thu period of the war and for one
year thereafter, both of which condi-
tions have expired. The militia was
originally composed of the necessary
administrative force, seven battalions
of infantry and two separate compa-
MES, with a total strength of 1000 Off
GERS and men. At the time of the last
reports of strength the force had been
reduced to "a officers and LII men,
due to disbandment. OF the original
enlistments in the militia 1,043 men
were discharged TO enter some branch