appropriations be made available by our State Legislature to meet the proposed program of the Federal Government and enable the State to accomplish its part in this plan of National organization for the "Common Defense."

PRESENT ALLOTMENT OF NATIONAL GUARD UNITS BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT

The present allotment of National Guard units to the State in my opinion are preferred units, enabling this State to organize completely, within its own boundaries, such units as Battalions and Regiments. All organizations in our allotment either belong to the 31st "Dixie" Division or the 23rd Cavalry Division. The results of obtaining complete major units in our allotment has enabled the State to group these organizations by areas, which has resulted in the upbuilding of morale' and enabled the Federal and State Government to carry on maintenance, instruction and training work with the least loss of time and comparatively small expenditure of money in travel. The organizations are now in the best possible situation for maintenance and continued progressive development in efficiency.

STRENGTH

The strength in personnel of the National Guard has not been increased because of limitation placed on the various States of the Union because of lack of sufficient Federal appropriations for Armory Drill and Field Training. However, the number of organizations has been increased during the past four years, this being accomplished by reducing the maintenance strength of each unit in accordance with new tables of organization, making maintenance appropriations available for paying the personnel of the new units, still keeping the total strength of the National Guard within the limits prescribed by the Federal Government, which during the past year was 2,758 officers and enlisted men. The Federal Government has authorized the State to increase the maintenance strength on January 1, 1927 to 2,824 officers, warrant officers and enlisted men. The actual strength of our National Guard today is 2,831 officers, warrant officers and enlisted

men.

PROPERTY AND FINANCE

The amount of property issued the State by the Federal Government is valued at approximately $1,787,099.92, and the amount of Federal funds handled by the U. S. Property and Disbursing Officer during the past four years is a total of $659,579.78. This amount does not include expenditures of Federal funds by Army Finance Officers in the settlement of accounts.

for transportation, forage, care-takers and schools. With these expenditures added there has been disbursed by the Federal Government largely through the U. S. Property and Disbursing Officer connected with the Military Department approximately $1,000,000.00 in the past four years. These conditions emphasize the necessity of retaining in the Military Department experienced help endowed with capacity and high sense of responsibility as the State is bonded for the safe-keeping and proper use of this property and the handling of these large sums of money. The State Property & Disbursing Officer is responsible for the State military appropriations and during the past four years has disbursed out of the total appropriation off $335,000.00 a total of $297,643.50. During the past four years $37,356.50 has reverted to the General Treasury, unexpended. This return does not include the cost of permanent arsenal and warehouse, which amounted to $33,799.43. Since this building is permanent, it should not be rated among maintenance expenses that occur from year to year, and in my opinion, should not be included in the actual maintenance expense of the National Guard. With this condition, the total returned to treasury and invested in this building would represent a practical return to the General Treasury of $71,155.93. The strictest economy has been practiced in the Military Department and no effort has been made to spend the total appropriation, simply because it was available. The reason for requesting appropriations that are possibly larger than may be needed for maintenance expense is because Federal maintenance appropriations are made from year to year and probably will be increased, causing the State to be required to increase the number of military organizations and the State must be prepared with appropriations to bear its part of the maintenance expenses.

"OTHER FUNDS"

Money credited to World War organizations of the Alabama National Guard known as "Other Funds" are being return to the State and paid to reorganized units in the World War stations throughout the State, and to date we have received $29,779.30. The remainder of this fund, approximately $12,000.00, will undoubtedly be received within a reasonably short period of time.

STRIKE AND RIOT DUTY AND AID IN DISASTER

The State has been fortunate in that emergency calls for the National Guard in aid of enforcement of law, protection of lives and property, and aid and relief of our citizens in disaster has been of a comparative minor nature. On the few occasions that

troops have been called, their conduct has been exemplary and the subject of the highest commendation by our citizenry, all duty being performed effectively and promptly.

BUILDING OF STATE ARSENAL AND WAREHOUSE

The State in 1925 completed a mill construction, fire-proof, arsenal and warehouse and a magazine on the State-owned grounds near Kilby. This was an economic measure as cost of rental of warehouse space in and about Montgomery was prohibitive.

TRAINING

The training of our National Guard is under the direct supervisions of a corps of regular officers and non-commissioned officers detailed by the Federal Government for duty in the State. Their work has been very satisfactory.

WORLD WAR RECORDS

Records of Alabamians in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps during the World War are practically complete in a single card index in the Military Department. These records are valuable reference and are constantly being referred to by our citizens and former soldiers.

COATS OF ARMS

Coats of arms of all flag-bearing organizations have been designed by the State Military Department and approved by the War Department. These insignia appear on the flags and standards of organizations and are worn as ornaments on the uniforms of officers and men. They depict the military history of the organizations and serve to increase morale and organization pride.

STATE SERVICE MEDAL

A State Service Medal has been designed by our Military Department and is available for distribution to those whose service meets the requirements of miiltary laws.

SPANISH AMERICAN WAR BACK FUND PAY

The State still has in its treasury $7,423.78, back pay, Spanish American War Veterans. During the past four years only $31.29 has been paid out of this fund. I recommend that this fund be invested in good securities by executive order and the interest be used in caring for Spanish American War Veterans

WORLD WAR TROPHIES

Without appropriations for this purpose our Military Department put on a campaign among our various counties for the purpose of acumulating sufficient money to pay transportation charges on the Federal Government Allotment of Trophies, captured by the American Forces in the World War, from the arsenal in New Jersey to Montgomery, $2,624.47 was collected and the trophies have been received and distributed throughout the State. The Military Department should be commended for their success in accomplishing this without public appropriations.

LEGISLATION

(a) The present laws are the results of Acts of several Legislatures since 1907, and it is believed advisable to rewrite these Acts so as to co-ordinate and clarify the various sections by consolidations and revisions, but in no sense changing the intent of various Acts and Sections in any essential features.

(b) It is recommended that appropriations for the organization and maintenance of the National Guard be increased from $83,750.00 to $90,600.00 per annum as recommended by the Military Department to the State Budget Commission. This increase will enable the State to organize and maintain additional organizations during the coming four years, which will be accomplished in regular increments in accordance with the plans of the War Department, and as Federal appropriations are made available for maintenance.

(c) It is recommended that an Armory Building Measure be enacted, if a practical way can be found for raising money for the necessary appropriations. The outstanding need of our National Guard organizations is a proper place in their home stations to assemble for training and take care of the expensive equipment issued these units by the Federal Government for which the State is responsible.

(d) As mentioned before, our Military Department has only one card file of service records of practically 90,000 soldiers, sailors and marines of the World's War. It is recommended that the State make appropriations for cross-filing these records and serious consideration should be given the matter of putting these records in book form by counties so as to make them readily available for private and public reference.

CONCLUSIONS

Our Military Department has by persistent effort during the past four years obtained by exchanges, conversions, releases, and new allotments of units placed the State in a most advan

tageous position for completing major organizations such as battalions and regiments and it is in my opinion highly important that the plans be carried out, which will result in a higher state of morale, increased interest on the part of the personnel and the citizenry in those sections of the State to which these units are allotted, and further increase in efficiency.

The military organizations of our State in all branches of the service have been brought to a high state of efficiency and have been repeatedly commended by inspecting officers of the Regular Army and now ranks with the best National Guard organizations of the country, both in equipment and personnel.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

At no time in the history of the State have the laws been more rigidly enforced than during the past four years. The Law Enforcement Department was created at a special session of the Legislature in 1919 and an appropriation was made at the special session in 1920 of $50,000.00 annually for the Department. In 1923 the Legislature appropriated $50,000.00 to be used at my discretion, making a total of $100,000.00 per annum. This Department is created not only for the enforcement of the prohibition laws, but for the enforcement of all laws from murder to gaming. Accordingly, I appointed Walter K. McAdory as Chief Law Enforcement Officer and instructed him to aid in the enforcement of all laws. He and his force have been used constantly in upholding the laws and seeing that the mandates of the courts have been complied with. With reference to this Department, I desire to make the following recommendations:

1. The statute relative to injunctions and liquor nuisances should be amended to meet the decisions of the higher courts.

2. The statute relative to the seizure, condemnation and sale of automobiles transporting liquor should be amended to meet the decisions of the higher courts.

3. The statute relative to second offenses for violation of the prohibition law should be amended so as to authorize the magistrate issuing the warrant of arrest, or the solicitor in drawing the indictment, to allege in the warrant or indictment that it is the second offense, to meet the decisions of the higher courts.

4. The statute relative to transporting liquor should be amended so as to make it a felony to transport five gallons or more of liquor.

5. I recommend that some provision be made by the Legislature to provide funds for the enforcement of the traffic laws on the highways of the State, viz: reckless driving, persons driving or riding on the highways of the State while intoxicated, and the overloading of vehicles, etc.