The National Guard recognized that the events of 1903 signified a critical turning point and represented the most important national legislation in militia history. The law established that the state soldiery had a statutory place in the federal government at all times by
prescribing a legal relationship between state and federal forces.62 It also gave the National Guard, through the now consolidated National Guard Association, a stronger position from which to lobby for additional support. Just a few months after the bill's passage, Colonel Britton encouraged Washington D.C. National Guard General Harries to "argue with Secretary Root in favor of a Bureau of the Militia in the War Department."63 Britton obviously considered Harries' location in Washington as tantamount to being a lobbying arm for the National Guard.
60
The statement of purpose is an excerpt from the Adjutants General Association Constitution and By-Laws.
61
An Act to Promote the Efficiency of the Militia, and for Other Purposes, Public Law 33, 57th Congress, 2d sess., Chapter 196, U.S. Statutes at Large 32(1903): 775.
62
Cooper, 111. The National Guard continues to believe that the Militia Act of 1903 was the single most important piece of legislation in its history. This information was provided during June 12, 2012 discussions in the NGAUS Archives with the Deputy Director, Anne Armstrong and the Archivist, Amelia Meyer.
63
Letter from Britton, Chairman, Executive Committee of INGA to Gen. Harries, January 20, 1903, Box 23, NGAUS Archives, Washington, D.C.
This Militia Act was the first major change to the Militia Act of 1792 which, when passed, had provided the President with the authority to call out the state militias in time of crisis, but it did not provide those militia units federal support. The new law increased funding for the National Guard and separated it from the state militias, drawing the National Guard closer to the regular Army through uniform and equipment supplies, training with regular Army forces, pay commensurate with the regular Army, and assignment to Army schools.64 Today's National Guard Bureau, to further confirm the understanding of the role of the National Guard in accordance with the 1903 Act, documents the organizational changes by noting that they occurred "subsequent to the passage of the Dick Act, making the state militias and national guards (sic) the reserve component of the federal army."65 With the increase in federal
funding came an increase in paperwork, bureaucracy, and the need to establish an organization that officially recognized the militia as having a presence at the federal level.
With passage of the new law, the Secretary of War established the Militia Division in the Adjutant General's Office (AGO). This new Division replaced a militia section of the
Miscellaneous Division in the AGO, headed by Army Major James Parker. Parker was a West Point graduate who would culminate forty-two years of service as a Major General. Prior to assignment to the Secretariat, Parker had served in the Philippine-American War, where he earned the Medal of Honor as well as having developed a keen understanding of the role volunteers played in the nation's military. As head of the Militia Division, now Lieutenant
64 Mahon, 139.
65
Records of the Militia Division and the Division of Militia Affairs, 1903-1916, Item 168.3, Record Group 168, Records of National Guard Bureau, National Archives, http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-
records/groups/168.html (accessed April 16, 2013). The Militia Division would become the Division of Militia Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of War with a 1908 amendment to the Dick Act. That Division would be transferred to the Office of the Chief of Staff, July 25, 1910, and renamed the Militia Bureau in 1916. See Item 168.4, Record Group 168 for the laws that enacted these changes.
Colonel Parker assumed the title of Assistant Adjutant General with the responsibility of implementing the new law.66 Toward that end, Parker published an article outlining the
"provisions of this Act" and explaining that "while the execution of the law has been somewhat delayed...much has been accomplished already in carrying it into effect."67 Parker's article outlined the Act and explained why it was so important to the defense of the nation to have a new law in place of the 1972 Act which would provide a well trained regular Army and National Guard.68
In addition to explaining the new law, Parker addressed the role of rifle practice in National Guard training and its importance to the nation as a whole. Parker explained that the new law specified that during the encampment of militia troops at military posts in the United States, they would be “furnished such amounts of ammunition for instruction in firing and target practice as may be prescribed by the Secretary of War under the direction of an officer selected for that purpose by the proper military commander."69 To address the needs of the nation as a whole, Parker expanded his article beyond the National Guard.
Rifle ranges also are needed, not only for the National Guard, but also for the citizen population. To shoot well is a large part of the education of the soldier; and if the Government can arouse such an interest in shooting, in not only the organized but also the unorganized militia, that our male population shall be familiar with the accurate use of the rifle, we shall have gone far towards evening up the advantage the foreigner gains by his
66
Survey of Laws and Orders Regarding the National Guard Bureau, catalogue item UA42 .N57 S963, NGAUS Archives.
67 James Parker, "The Militia Act of 1903," The North American Review 177, no. 561 (August 1903): 279-280. 68
Ibid., 287.
69
universal conscription. Much can be accomplished in this direction, if the United States will offer free the use of the military rifle on ranges to be established near our large towns. Such ranges would also be available for the instruction of the National Guard. Their cost would be little in
comparison with the benefits to be obtained.70
In addition to his role as the Assistant Adjutant General for Militia Affairs, Parker was obviously participating in the national dialogue about rifle practice. He had earlier been requested, by Secretary Root, to evaluate a plan to improve the nation's marksmanship program.71 Parker's visibility as a proponent of rifle marksmanship has incorrectly placed the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice within the auspices of his office by suggesting that "a legislative effort closely related to the Militia Act created the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice."72 That Board, discussed below, was created in the office of the Assistant Secretary of War, well removed from the Adjutant General's Office under whose auspices Parker resided. This distinction is highlighted to illuminate the fact that rifle practice in the National Guard and the nation as a whole would have strong proponents in both the military and civilian components of the War Department.73
70
Parker, 284.
71 Parker's report to the Secretary is included in the NRA publication, Report of the National Rifle Association of America, A Patriotic Association, for the Year Ending December 1902 and is addressed in Chapter 5.
72
Lefave, 35. On August 29, 1916, an act was passed that created the office of the Director of Civilian
Marksmanship (DCM). From 1916 until 1919 that office was located under the Chief of the Militia Bureau. In 1919 the DCM was ordered to report to the Assistant Secretary of War as the Board had since its inception in 1903. This information comes from a 1930 memorandum from LTC Edwards, Office of the Assistant Secretary of War, summarizing the Board's history, Box 29, CMP Archives, Camp Perry, OH.
73
The Adjutant General reported to the Commanding General of the Army, while the Assistant Secretary reported to the Secretary, the civilian leader.
In the interim, Congress had dictated in the new Militia Law that the National Guard meet the training and equipment standards of the regular Army within five years. The law was amended in 1908 to give the National Guard additional time to meet the enhanced standards. At that time, the Secretariat responded to the need for greater support with another
restructuring that gave the National Guard greater visibility. "A division is hereby created in the office of the Secretary of War to be known as the Division of Militia Affairs."74 With this
reorganization, the state National Guard leadership would be given direct access to the Office of the Secretary of War. Furthermore, the aforementioned Board and the National Guard would both meet under the direct umbrella of the Office of the Secretary of War. The impact of this relationship and how it affected the capability of the National Rifle Association to grow are discussed below.