Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-15
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
Some Criticisms Which Will Cause Con.
siderable Comment.

Some Criticisms which VIII Cause Con-
siderable Comment.
THE THANKsGfyISa SHOOTING NATcHEs-oEN.
oRDwAY's ORDER N REoARp TO THEM-THE
SIXTH BATTALION WANTS cLocK-THE
FOURTH TO DRILL FOB GOLD BADaE-NoTEs.
There are three classes Of people in this
world, and Of course they are all represented
| in the National Guard. They are pessimists,
who zee no good in anything; optimisss, TO
| whom all things seem roseste, and motorists,
who avoid both extremes aud by so doing
| manage to get more real comfort and happiness
, out of life than members Of the other classes
It will be for National Guardsmen to determine
| the classification Of the gentleman who ex-
presses his views as to the local militia in this
chapter. His knowledge of matters military 10
extensive and he 10 entitled to hearing, but
the soundness Of his argument can only be de-
! termined by more argument. II these criticisms
(for which no one is responsible but the corre-
| spondenD be just then il 10 not improbable
that proper remedies will in time be applied
II they are unjust, some OF the more active
officers will doubtless make remarks to that
effect in the National Guard column of The
STAR.
THIS rs THE COMMUNICATION:
Az friend of the District National Guard
| would like to be allowed to suggest through
your paper few ideas which were brought to
my mind in observing the brigade from the
standpoint Of an outsider. The first point no.
ticed was that the force seems too large In pro-
portion to the population to be drawn upon.
This Is shown in two ways. First, BY the small
attendance OF many organizations on nearly all
occasions OF duty; and second, by comparison
trvifh fha rafin atm in khap pft
or larger size. For evidence on the first point
one has but to examine the records of camp
duty, parades. drills, &c, and notice how many
very small companies reported for duty. A
company which has only from fifteen to thirty
men present is altogether too small for the Ma
tional Guard service as maintained In the moro
advanced states all over the country and is an
argument against the large number of CON-
panies DOW in the city, whether regarded as a
company with large numbers but sEiall per-
centage present or . small one with ali or
nearly all on duty. To show the force Of the
argument from the second point Of view the
following statement, giving in the first twenty
cities Of the country the average population
called upon to support single company. would
seem to be conclusive:
!, New York, 2l,3l7; 2, Chicago, 47,764; s.
Philadelphia, q, S54; H. Brooklyn, 10, 75S; s, St
Louis, 92,071; 6, Boston, 16, 597; z, Baltimore,
rs, sos; B. San Francisco l3,545; 0, Cincinnati,
81 0S9; TO- Cleveland, 81 500; IL, Buffalo IT, Q64;
. H
Washington. 1860; Is, Detroit, 34278; is, Mil
yankee, "a, 683; II, Newark, 15,126; 18, Louis
vile, 2O.ll4; ~. Minneapolis, 4l.ls4; 20, Jersey
City, 32.797.
more companies in proportion to the populn-
ton than In any other large city in the United
States.
1 admit that certain conditions exist here
that do not in other places, such az a possibly
larger ratio of young male population, due 70
% dam md Loo <atv
halfway Encouragement given to men in the
public civil service to join the National Guard,
But 1t does not appear that these or any other
conditions in force here warrant the present
established strength and within two or three
years, after the enthusiasm among the young
men has been abated by the many iscourage-
ments to be met with in endeavorinB to main
tain the companies at proper strength
and efficiency, 1t will be found
advisable to reduce the number by consolida-
ton disbandment to two eight company
regiments, instead OF the present organization
of two Of twelve companies each. Indeed, this
difficulty IL being encountered now, more men
being discharged for no other real reason than
that they have "got tired Of 1t" than think
the natural increase Of the population will
neutralize. Leaving the subject Of strength
we come to another trouble which seems quite
noticeable here, that Of the independent or
company spirit as opposed to a battalion or
regmental feeling and pride. This has always
caused trouble wherever it has occurred and
should be discouraged In every way. 1t is a
relic OF the olden time aud gives the general
public q false idea Of the comparative import
ance Of those organizations having a snowy
uniform Of thei: own; false, because in three
cases GU: OF four. although those companies
make more OF q show In the social line, 10 Is
done at the expense of the strictly military
qualities which belong to good service COM
ment Of theregularly organized aud authorized
force 10 the existence Of organizations whose
members can have their desire for military
display grstided without being subjected to the
discipline and hard work required Of the
others.
Still another point worthy Of notice and be-
lieve to be condemned, 10 the practice of COM
pany commander in concentrating all his
energies ON preparing for and taking part in
competitive drills, which have been the cause
of more harm than good, the time necessary
for such work being SO great as to preclude in
struction in the more practical and essential
duties Of guard work, rifle practice, &c.
good example OF this mistake has been noticed
here within . short time. when . company
which made a long trip away for the purpose OF
entering prize drill was unable to present
respectable number Of men not long after for
camp duty.
AS the result was direct loss to the govern
ment in respect to the practical work and in
structlon which 1t expects every man to re-
ceive and which each promises to avail himself
OF on enlistment refusal to allow any COM
pony to 80 waste its time would be very sea-
s0nable action. The National Guard here, hav-
ing been organized so recently, should have
the benefit Of the experience gained in states
which have supported a volunteer militia force
for many years. and should have avoided many
errors which seem to have taken tirm hold In
the short time of its existence. But the fact ia
evident that many methods have been adopted
which have been discarded as unwise and
impracticable elsewhere in the light
OF long experience. There is one
thing which could be done here which would
be OF more advantage than almost any
other improvement that could be adopted, and
it could be done in this brigade with less
trouble than in any other force in the country.
refer to the systematic instruction Of officers.
This subject has been referred to year after
year IN the recommendations OF officers de-
tailed from the army TO observe the various
state sncsmpments, but on account Of the dis
tribution Of state troops over q large area 1t 10
Impractcable except on = limited scale.
In Washington everything 10 convenient for
the adoption OF = regular plan OF instruction
for the officers OF the brigade. The force 10
concentrated, there are = lsgre number of army
officers TO draw upon for instructors and last
but not least, great many of the National
Guard officers seem to need il badly. No re-
Election Is intended upon these gentlemen, for
they are doing az well ~ they can with the
advantages they have, but they are really
entitled to schooling in the duties which the
government requires Of them and which can be
obtained in no other way except BY long and
| ,wan