The morning call., 1892-10-10
TIE NATIONAL GUARD.
Captain Barry's Comments
and Structures.
HOW THEY WERE RECEIVED.
The Army Inspectors Rep'r TT Rsviewsd-The
Governor and Staff Going to Chicago.
Charges Announced.

had been favor only with CARRIED quota.
lions of the gallant captains report. On
Saturday, however. there came from Sacra-
mento stack OF military literature, includ-
ing a sufficient number of Captain Thomas
III. Barry's report TO go round among the
commissioned officers. They were immedi-
ately distributed, and Sunday was largely
given up TO peruSal and discussion of thi:
well-wrtten, paiustakiDg and interesting
military document.
The criticism of the National Guard OF
California emitted by the representative OF
the headquarters Of the army NAV be, and
we may add so far has been accepted on the
whole as instructive and profitable, and
therefore beneficial. Captain Barry may
be said to use his bride with great gentle
ness, while not falling to utilize his spurs
on occasions when his mount required their
sharp application. He has paid the Ma
tionai Guard the tribute, at least, of candor.
and the compliment of giving them his best
thoughts on all the questions which affect
their standing as soldiers. The temper of
the report is admirable, and in no sense can
II be regarded in the light of an aspersive
review of the condition of the National
Guard. There is no evidence either in or
between the lines Of his report of any dis
position to magnify slight faults into seri-
Gus errors. The majority Of the officers of
the corps inspected Ivy him have long been
fully conscious OF certain defects in the
service Indicated by him. They are anxious
to institute reform and they will welcome
Captain Barry as an influential ally in the
work OF reformation.
hat they are n great degree powerless
will not be attributed 10 their want of zeal,
training or intelligence Many OF the causes
OF the defects are. unfortunately, inherent in
the very fabric and structure of an unpaid
volunteer force, not subject to the drastic
control of articles Of war. Others lie en-
tirely within the pale of legislative action.
where the voice OF military men of expert
ence and mature judgment has very little
weight Both the laws of Congress and of the
various State Legislatures are in evidence
on this latter point. Bearing this III mind
much of the force OF Captain Barry's intel
ligent criticism is lost He thinks as an
educated soldier whose experience IN mill
tary matters mas been res Ticted to the train
ing and discipline of army life. Be
tween that life and the environment
of National Guardsman there is
permanent and broad distinction we
may say an impossible gulf. A high
ideal cannot, however, be too constantly
kept in view before the National Guard.
Ii Can steadily strive for. if it cannot at
tain, absolute perfection: and the very
striving itself is a long step toward tue
d ers is helpful in this direction. and there
is no risk Of contradiction in making the
assertion here that the National Guard of
California gains UNNECESSARILY in efficiency
ana good soldlership BY careful study of
Captain Barry's report For this service he
is entitled to and will receive the thanks Of
every officer and enlisted man.
OF the 1000 or more words IN the report
OF tweniy-six pages much space is devoted
to historical matters Where he treats of
the questions OF militia organization he will
be found on dehatable ground. That the
National Guard of California is topneavy
by virtue OF an undue proportion of COM
misSioned officers to enlisted men may be
conceded If Judged by the strength alone
OF the organized force. But this structure
applies in a no less genuine sense to the
army, 10 which Captain Barry has the
honor TO hold a commission. With its 2l67
commissioned officers to q, 600 enlisted men
the same startling disparity exists. More
than One-fOurih, in fact nearly one-ffth, of
the regular officers are on staff duty. re-
infoTced by large numbers of general
service clerks and messengers. We're
the whole United States army to be ordered
Into one camp It's appalling tOp-heaviness
would be Immediately apparent. Captain
Barry falls into error when he refers to Ma
tional Guard staff officers as entailing ex-
pense 10 the State. On the contrary these
gentlemen are under personal expenses by
reason of their connection with the SER
vice and Go all the clerical work themselves
Captain Barry evidently overlooked tie
fact that the National Guard of California
is minus any departmental stah organiza-
ton or clerical assistance. This fact and
the nature of the duties discharged by staff
officers in the National Guard regiments
such as presiding at elections and aiding
their commanding officers in many other
ways make large reglmental stalls neces-
sity.
4 . l. g !, nft 49, n
ject it may be we'll TO refer TO Captain
Barry's structures on the Governors mill
tary family. These gentlemen do not take
themselves seriously in military sense and
there was little reason for Captain Barry
being provoked into animadversions upon
them. There is nothing for them to do
save upon occasions OF ceremony TO accom-
pany the Governor, and very naturally they
fall into line Of social activity. They are
hoSpitable and generous entertainers and
only men OF means as rule can afford 10
accept an appointment on the Governors
staff. In other words, they are body Of
honorary colonels who impart picturesque
splendor and glitter to the Governors going
and coming among his troops. They help
10 keep up his ex-Officio character as COM
maDdeT-iE-chief, which staff IN practice Is
merely military fiction. The re-
cent encampment at Santa CIvz
manding the division. Governor Mark
ham was only General DimOnd's guest
after he had paid his visit Of ceremony TO
the camp. 1t did not follow because the
majoT-general had assigned tent for the
Governors use so long as he chose to remain
in the camp, that the Governors staff
should be continuously trotting at the heels
of his Excelency. They were With their
chief on all occasions OF ceremony, and
this should have satisfied Captain Barry's
acute sense Of official decorum. The Gov
eTnOTs staff performs social amenities
which cannot be ignored when National
Guardsmen come together. They were bet
ter able 10 discharge these functions in
neighboring hotel than under canvas in
camp, in which tile use of Gold Seal or
Meet Chand0n was strictly prohibited. They
took Admiral IRWIN and his staff In
tow as soon as they we're free
than drag them on the sand and fill them
with ApollinaIis water they took the naval
representatives TO their hotel, where they
were fifty entertained at the expense OF the
Governors military family. Not only were
the officers Of the navy Hospitality cared
for by these gentlemen, but they kept open
house for many distinguished civilian
guests-men who can do much in their way
TO promote friendly feeling toward the
National Guard on the part of the tax
payers when the Legislature is in session.
As the staff of the commander-in-chief are
all good-natured gentlemen they are not
likely to cherish any animosity toward the
inspecting officer for his gratuitous censure
of them.
The most serIous defects pointed out by
Captain Barry In the National Guard Of
this State are those the correction OF which
lie altogether In the cooperative powers of
the General and State Governments. They
relate to paramount and vital needs. The
expert testimony of the inspecting officer
that 80 per cent of the small arms are I'M
servceable, that one of the light batteries
is absolutely without any guns. carriages
or harness. that the other light battery is
armed with poor, obsolete, ten-pound guns