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Show MILITARY BOARD 15 FORMULATING CODE State Militia Organization Prepares to Meet All Federal Fed-eral Conditions. j MEANS NATIONAL AID Number of Members in Utah to Be Increased; Age Limit of Availability. i The hoard of officers appointed by 1 Major W. G. Williams, adjutant generaj of the national guard of Utah, to formulate formu-late ami submit to the present legislature legisla-ture a new military code, In harmony with the national defense act of June 8, under which the state receives support, from the federal government. Is now en- v ga Red upon I ts report, the details of which are being worked out by First Lieutenant Lloyd Garrison, first separate squadron of cavalry. A prominent officer of the guard, in discussing the matter of legislation last night, said: The national guard 1s the servant of the state and it is up to the. legislature, legis-lature, as representing the state in a civil sense, to see that the national guard Is properly provided for ami that its training and discipline, together to-gether with the personnel, are such as will be a credit to th state. This, to be true, requires the unqalified support of the state government. Is Nationally Controlled. In discussing the matter Lieutenant Garrison said: Tho federal law provides that the national guard of the various states ' shall be practically under the complete com-plete control of the federal government. govern-ment. The property is now issued to the state, but is distributed and issued is-sued to the various organizations under un-der control of an officer of the guard, who is responsible to the federal government. gov-ernment. The president and the secretary of war practically control the guard. The. , majority of the duties of the adjutant generals of the states were taken over tinder the national defense act of June ,3. l16. Cnder the old law the adju-ta.nt adju-ta.nt general had full control In his own hands. The proposition before the states Is this: The federal government says it will do certain things for the guard, including the payment of guard members; mem-bers; will furnish the equipment, horses and like matters of expense, but for the state to get that money It must provide for the upkeep of the horses and must fulfill other requirements. , Must Increase Force. For example, the state must fur-. fur-. nish a certain number of enlisted men, under federal requirements, in an increasing quantity over a five-year five-year period. In the case of the state of Utah the national guard must number SOO men on July 1, 1917. Under the present pres-ent representation of the state in con- . gress this enlistment must be in- creased to 3200 men In 1921. . At the present time the following organizations in the national guard of Utah oompJy with the federal enlistment en-listment requirements: TToop B of Ogden, troop C of Bait Lake, troop J) of Mantl, troops F and H in border bor-der service at Nogales and the hos- ' pital corps. This makes a total of 4if men. or half of the nifrnber that will be required by Juiy 1. 1017. Under the present law H is impossible impos-sible for the national guard of the state to become a state constabulary. If the guard is not so organized as to get federal support, it cannot exist, for the federal law says that the national na-tional e-nard cannot exist In anv other manner than as the national guard of the United States, in the manner provided by law. Changes to Be Made. There can be no half way measures. Among the things which must be done in the way of changes are: The methods of mustering in and out mast conform to federal standards. stand-ards. The duties of the adjutant general must be defined specifically so they will conform to the federal law, which now vests most of this officer s duties in the war department. The enrollment must be strengthened strength-ened and maintained to the federal law standard by assiduous enlistment. enlist-ment. . 1 Officers will still be appointed by the governor, but the appointees must be subject to examination and approval by the war department. Officers, when they leave the national na-tional guard service, are transferred to the national guard reserve- and are subject to the call of duty until the time of their retirement at the age of 64. Must Have Experience. Officers must have a certain specified speci-fied amount of military experience, thereby doing away with political proferment and placing the system upon the basis of merit and efficiency. The system of court-martial must be changed to conform to the federal code, thereby making for better discipline. dis-cipline. Whereas, the term of enlistment at the present time is three years for the first enlistment, with the privilege privi-lege of re-enlistlng for one year, un- , der the new code, the men enlist for " three years and are then held In the reserve, subject to call for three years additional, this being to require their whereabouts in order that check may be kept upon them in case of anv emergency call. All the beneficial features of the former law not in conflict with the national defense act are retained in the proposed new code. The board of officers named by Major Williams, adjutant general, to recodify the stale militia law, In conformity with the provisions of the national defense act, are: Ma lor John F. Sharp, medical corps: Captain William C. Webb, field artillery: Captain K. LeRoy Bourne, First separate squadron, cavalry; FlrBt Lieutenant Lloyd Garrison, First separate sepa-rate squadron, cavalry. |
