Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-01-04
GUARD GENERAL
ASKS FOR new
STATE ARSENAL

All dppt'II lOI iulido Waln NliiNil "
build an arsenal for the housing of
property necessary to equip Arizona
| troops in the event they were called
into the field was contained IN the
annual report submitted to Governor
Hunt Saturday by Col Charles w.
Harris, adiutant general of Arizona.
Colonel Harris estimated that
proper arsenal could be built for
$4,000 and he declared this is an
absolute necessity.
The annual report on the Arizona
national guard said the increase iii
number of units by two has made
the appropriations previously asked
for more inadequate than they were
low:
"The state owes tine companies S5,-
200 for company allowances for
/ which there was no appropriation
and certificates of Indebtedness are
! outstanding al this time for 1920 for
officers clothing allowances and
1S3,97S for salary due the adjutant
general. In addition to this many
Of the funds will be exhausted in
( side 90 days. Last year some OF
| the clerks in this office worked
without pay for month or more
! in order that the work might go
on and it was necessary to pay the
stenographer for two months from
funds neG ther state nor federal
/ "At the present time, according to
, figures from the chief militia bureau,
! we have on hand approximately ap-
lproximately $1,000,00O of federal
property The state is required to
house this property and it is for this
purpose, among others. that ade7
qtuate armory buildings and an ar
senal is required. Last yeal, as fed
eral disbursing officer j paid out in
cash or checks $42,57S.S3 of federal
moneys. The total amount of fed
eral funds expended in this state
was $130,S70.63, or about four times
the amount that was appropriated
, ky the legislature and about two and
half times the amount that it is
necessary for the Legislature to ap>
proprate for maintenance. When il
is realized that this is an amount OF
about 800 per month that is sperr
within the state and that to this
should bo added about $1,400 per
month that is paid the federal in
Structors by the federal government,
it may easily be seen that 1t is a
good business proposition for the
state to adequately support the
guard
"The need fer armories IS still as
described in my report of last yeal
with the difference that we now
have four units without adequat%.
arnories. The amount that have
asked in my estimate with other con-
tributions will build four armortes.
Surveys have been made for all
Enown outstanding losses. They
amount to about $4,000, which the
state is obligated to pay if we are
not released by the federal govern
nient. Much of the property would
mot have been lost had there been
an adequate arsenal building in
which to store the property.
"There is a constant Improvements
in the officer personnel of the guard,
particularly IN the lower grades. The
enlisted personnel has shown an
average Improvement during the past
year Officers schools have beels (!
established and correspondence
courses are being conducted. III
addition last June we held an Off
fers' training camp at Camp Stephen
II. Little with most satisfactory re-
suits.
"As a result of an acton brought |
by former officer of the guard and !
supported by the commanding off, /
Ger of the infantry regiment, the |
supreme court decided that undel |
the present law no state pay was
due for camps of instruction, SO thai
the enlisted men did not this yeal |
draw any pay except the federal pay. !
Che company officers, are insistenl /
that to get the class of men that
is required it will be necessary to
provide by legislation for a state pay |
for enlisted men in addition to the
amounts pad by the United States. !,
This past year an army board re-
ported in favor of moving our state |
camp site from the FIT. HuachUca
rifle range to Garden canyon on the i
same military reservation and APP
proved the spending of about $SO,O00l
federal funds on construction of a
model camp site providing I could |
secure the funds. Our representative !
N congress, Carl Hayden introduced /
bill in congress for the sale of the; |
Mesa rifle range, which is now avail |
able for cultivation, and providing |
for the use of the moneys derived |
from this sale for the construction. !
of nfle ranges and camp sites This !
bill was passed by congress and was