Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-13
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
Gen. Ordway Replies to Some of the Criti-
cisms Made Upon Its Conduct.

cisms Made Upon Its Conduct.
THE QUESTION OF PAY-How MUCH BETTER TEE
MILITIA ARE NOW THAN WHEN IHEY WIRE IN
DEPENDENT CcAPANIEs-A LIVELY DEBATE or
RIFLE PRACTICE AND COMPETITIVE DRILLS
y{NHE GENTLEMAN whose kindly criticisms
Il of the District National Guard have caused
SO much discussion among the citizen soldiery
has found in Gen. Orlway y foeman worthy Of
his steel This week the general makes re-
joindcr TO the communication printed in THE
srAE two weeks ago and the thoughtful stu
dent of militia matters will find in the follow
ing reply good deal of food for thought:
Il was more than glad writes the general,
''to tie continuation OF the suggestions
made bv your correspondent IN the interests VI
the National Guard. The more We can have Of
friendly criticism the better results We are
likely to reach. He makes the very proper sug-
gcssion that a company commander should be
able to get rid OF poor material by honorable
discharge without asking permission of his
COMPANY 20 do fully agree with him, and
this Is exactly what IL carefully provided for in
our militia law by me clause that honorable
discharge NAV be granted whenever in the
opinion OF the commanding general the in
tcrests OF the service demand it. Under this
clause men are constantly discharged honor
ably VI the simple recommendation OF the
captains
The only other point that your correspond
ent raises n the question of pay. There
be no difference of opinion on that point
among those who appreciate the necessity of a
VOL organized and efficient militia. The men
and he officers should be paid for every day of
duty performed in ne annual encampment or
of any kInd performed under orders from bril-
g.de Headquarters. and officers responsible for
the care Of government property should re-
ceive specified allowance to reconnpense them
fO- thCir care AM responsibility Unfor-
tunatcly there is 3 wide gull between the ideal
and The practicable The wisest course L. to gain
ali Ina, s practicable and secure The balance
b. successive attacks. Tue question of paying
tho mi.iIil Is old the militia itself and the
discussion. Ul 4 I"Saa III 1I9.. Your CORES
pondc&t hrIid ycCOlect th.it it Is only within
The last tscivC years thIt the Older states have
begun to Iay their militia: that they have been
ve-y man: years IN reaching that point. and
thai she Nv organizing the l'istric! n.ilitl4 Is
les than two wears old. II Your correspond
ent could know the amount OF labor and the
weary nIorths # struggle against active Oppo-
siti1n ans. absolute ignorance that were under
gone in securing the passage OF the
law for tue present organization OF
the militia of the District. if he could
appreciate the ANIMAL struggle 10 secure the
apprOpriatio that are allowed under the law,
he would think that We should be thankful for
what W. have gotten. IL the present law had
contained provisions for Fl of pay 1t would
never Us.N1 gore ftncT tlS0 the pigeon AOlc
of the committee to which 10 was referred. l
realized that fact in the inception of the move
ment and framed the bill accordingly. To ap-
prOach Congress now with such proposition
would result in aboiishiag the National Guard.
After the National Guard has been IN existence
: few years and has proven to the community
Of taxpayers and demonstrated to Congress
it. eiI.gIency, we may hope TO secure pay.
wonder If your correspondent ID aware that In
lSOo an annual appropriation Of sNO. 900 was
d. ,,tr ~ trs rrly and enuir-
menss for the militia, which In the ratio of in
crease of population of the country should
now be 81 ,6o0 900. and that it required SIX
years of organized effort on the part of the
National Guard of the whole country to get
Congress TO increase it 20 500. 900. or if he
knows that in 1854 Washington urged Congress
TO amend the Eiilitia law aud that SINCE that
time there have been thirty-five messages from
succeeding Presidents. innulneraolc reports
from Secretaries Of War and committees and
an organized effort from the National Guard
for the last ten years to accomplish that pGr-
pose, and thus far without result. in other
words wonder IL your correspondent has ever
subjected his ideas on any subject to the test
Of endeavoring 20 get Legislative body to
adopt them IL he has 1 sympathize with him.
LITTLE TO COMPLAIN OF
"As matter of fact the District National
Guard has little or nothing to complain of in
regard TO pay. being very much better off than
in any states where they are paid A few years
Az w. 90; ,or,, 81 - svarv srn... H.;
III. " III 80 -@ NE a,, ,o,.a
I'LL, ,;,6o,,t ons ao,ior ~ nc,.onaI
P.lhs esn 49,. - CA ar. ~ 80. %
eAPen'h . ~, ~ i.a; NJ s, "
sAPe"'' iOt 49, -" ss:n 60 ,t ~;
H;hs aihouii. W pa. a F''o. toi - .neH
rooms III mos sIIs Al sny s ne !.
uu Al. Po - ss e Is ,ha .n.nn ..eos
W 49, r,~A 20. M. ,,-ovidsd To- hv r.
u.. !" W,tsiss NJ. 49, u;,h i Uon W enc e
-.x-nnSant Aha. IN secuve !, prouev and efficient
National Guard they should be paid for every
day Of duty performed, and 1t L. the single OBJ
1ecs NJ vhich am nov aiming. Mneh ! nave
90 ~ =. - -,,..o--s,i,v an.ar,ri.h.J w.,
80 W. I;.,Ie ,os,;a,:.s 80 P;,h -,,,ai
''ors;,,a,'n.. h.I;svs yhs, the no;r, c.n SnsIIv
ka.~;n.i - ,hat r. IL accomnI;sha5
-, I'll h",,a = 1000 in .be D;s,r;ct ~ Soinn,-
~: 80, -, {, - ,,nss;tla - cra.ta ont -,
70 - 80. ;r.: :, " " VI
'S'"o.
THE PRIVATE. AND 'fikiSdfiN DKsArk,
Private" sent a communication TO The STAR
several DAYS snce attacking the premises adj
...s =, IT, o.. ..rrL,,~,- "a .s;.,,,.,
~ N
oy Gen Oruway IN tnese columns copy
OF ms argument was placed IN une nanas OF an
ofoeer VINO mas fepneu 70 nus structures from
behind tne nom de plume Oh Firing I'm;
friEase says; 4 heaiuiy agree WIN our
unknown crime IN REGARD 70 tne encouragement
OF resImehI! priae, o9' l 40 NOT .nInk 'nat