The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-30
TIE NATIONAL GUARD,
Manner of Selecting Non
Commits ioned Officers
Criticised.

1.-THE manner In which non-commis>
sioued officers are selscted in the vario US
companies of the National Guard of ew
Jersey could be improved upon" said a
we'll known officer of the Fourth Regi-
ment to a reporter of THE JERSEY CITY
NEWS a few days ago. "At present."
continued he. "all the company off ,ers.
including the captain aud lieuten auts.
are elected by the members of the CON-
pauy. Theses officers must pass examfn-
alton before the relii1ental examining
boards. 1t is true, but l know Of many
cases where men. VINO were not Mt to
command a street cleaning brigade,
slipped througa the boards examin-
alton and were commissioned to don
shoulder straps. The examining boards
are not over vigilaut and con-
sequently the examinations ara not
as strict as they might be. In the regular
army the captains are appointed and not
elected. Only efficient tneu are selscted
and as a result the companies are In
better shape. So the captain is given sole
control of tue company. He appoints all
the non com missioned officers. Every
corporal must prove that he Is ht to hold
the office before he receives bis warrant.
In the National Guard OF New York the
non-com inissionsd officers are also APP
pointed by the captains. II the same plan
WAS adopted In this State the National
Guard would be elevated. | believe that
the National Guard should be conducted
rs near like the regular army as possible.
II 1t was In my pc wer | would make the
office OF captain an sppointive Que.
hold that q captain 10 command. respect
In the National Guard should first
have 3 social standing. Whete
the opposite is the case You will
find a demoralized. unruly company.
Il L. 1 II a.4u. 3 - m nnfrt~n ~ "a
company l first look up the captain and
examine his standing in the on unity.
| Nine times out of ten this Is all l need do
10 judge the company. l can take you
10 many companies. and I need not go
far either, and show you. CAPTAINS to
whom it would be as hard to enter the
| portals of ordinary society rs TO don
wings and fv to heaven, AS a result
the National Guard is looked upon by
| many eli iz.ns rs a hoodlum orgnnlZa-
ton. hope the day, is not far distant
when the captains of the National Guard
of New Jersey will be appointed as in the
regular army"
The officer who expressed the above
opinion has been a member of the Ma.
tional Guard Of this State for over ten
| years n occu pies a trustworthy position
in the Fourth Regiment.
ON H SKlRMIsH.
There is mucn.gos-ip AS TO who will fill
the vacancy CdussQ ny Glo fu6dGu VI zap
tain George 2. Babcock of the Gun De-
tachment. Adjutant John 1. Pringls is
being urged by his trends to become a
candidate Cor the position. and shonid he
consent, he will no doubt be cleo ed.
Adiutaut Pringle has for q number of
years filed the important position OF
| Sergeant of the detachment, and be is
thoroughly copversaut with the duties of
captain. He IL also very popular with
the members of the detachmeuL. Orders
for the election will probably be Issued in
a few days. In the meantime. Ser geant
Abel P. Brown will be in command.
The handsome badge awarded to Ser
geant Abel p. Browa, of tue Gun Ds.
tachment, by the range com for
scoring the greatest number of bulls eyes
at the Marion range during the past
season, was placed on exhibition this
morning at Adolph Walter's stors on
Newark avenue. The badge Is without
ex option tho handsoE1esG decor alton
hat mas ever been aw arded to ny mems