The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-05
RESERVE HELD MAIN DEFENCE. BY M00RMAN.
Spanish War Veterans Hear Drastic Cuts in Regular Army Scatched Main Body of Military in
 Civil Life

Picturing the reserves of citi- zens and ex-army men as the neces- sary adjunct to the small army of defense left by recent national leg islation, Colonel Moorman, in an ad- dress before the Spanish war vet erans Sunday, scathingly criticised the unprepared condition in which Congress had left the country.
 The occasion was the opening of the new headquarters of the Span ish war veterans in the old post of flee building, Sunday afternoon. Before a large and enthusiastic gathering, Colonel Moorman de- scribed the organization of the army under the act of 1916.
 First, he said, is the regular army stationed in the various pos sessions of the United States, the national guard, subject to the call of the governor of the state to quiet domestic troubles, and lastly, the organized reserves" which is a skeleton army, at present made up mostly of officers.
 O O O
 Composition of Reserves.
 This organized reserve is divided into army corps under commanders who are responsible for the men in their district. These corps are sub divided Into divisions and then into companies. They take in the whole fighting population of the United States. Colonel Moorman stated that at present there were armies. IS corps or 54 divisions in the country. This is estimated In round numbers to be 3.o00,000 men and 150,000 of- ficers.
 Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi are in one division and Texas is in a division of its own. The divisions are made according to the population of the country. In the east the districts are small and in the west large, &C., cording to population.
 Colonel Moorman said that it is the duty of every man to join this organ ization. The men in the organized re- serves are not subject to call except in case of war. They are supposed to spend a certain number of days in camp, but if business interferes man could be excused. Ex-war veterans could enlist for one year and with the same rank which they held in the army.
 This bill. according to Colonel Moor man, will keep America prepared for war if we are compelled to fight for American standards again. Had either side in the Civil war made plans like this they would have been successful and the war would not have dragged through four long years of bloodshed and grief.
 Other speeches were made by Col. R. H. Nolan of the R. o. T. C., D. E. McLendon. president of the city com mission, and Charles A. Becken, ex- commander of the United Spanish American war veterans.
 The meeting opened with, military ceremony, posting the officers on the colors of the company and the mili- tary introduction of the speakers. The T. c I. chorus sang the star Span gled Banner" and followed with other patriotic and southern folk lore songs between speeches.
 A squad from Company M, 167th in- fantry. Birmingham Steel Jackets. gave an exhibition drill with the Browning machine gun. The squad, commanded by Capt. Harry E. Smith, consisted of Larry Ferguson and James Hartshorne. The squad demon strated carrying the machine gun into action on the firing line and also dismounting it. Captain Smith explained the maneuvers and also dis assembled and assembled the gun in an instant.