The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-11
future OF militia
Col. +. l. Hitchcock FaVOrS The Passage
Of Some New Laws.
MEASURES that He ADVOCATES
Would Have the Laws So Framed
That the Militia Gould Be Or
ganized on a National Basis for
the Protection of the Country
from invasion or Any Sudden
Emergency That Might Arise.

The discussion now filling the press
of the country upon the availability OF
the National guard organizations OF
the several states for national military
operations, offensive and defensive,
prompts me TO reproduce some sugges-
tions on this subject which made IN
several articles published in sundry
military magazines several years ago
Those articles were written in the hope
of promoting some congressional legis-
lation which would make our several
National guards available for purpose
of defense or ofteuse, rs they might be
needed in cases OF emergency.
1t was Mt time when General Sher-
man, the commander-in-chief OF the
United States army, had recently in
specled the National guard Of Penn
sylvania and had publicly stated how
secure he felt with such we'll organ
lied, disciplined and drilled body OF
troops, available for all purposes at Il
moments call. | pointed out the fact
that, although as troops they were all
his glowing eulogy claimed, neverthe-
less as matter of law they we've not
available for any purpose outside OF
the state of Pennsylvania.
What Is true of our National guard
in this respect | presume is true of the
National guards or organized militia OF
all the states, for all are organized un-
der much the same laws.
LAW on THE SUBJECT.
The National guard of Pennsylvania
is organized under the act of assembly
approved April l9, 1889. Section / OF
this act provides THAT the active mil
itia of this commonwealth shall here
after be styled the National Guard OF
Pennsylvania, and shall be subject at
all times TO the orders Of their oIti-
cers.p
This clearly recognizes Il distinction
between the "actiye" or organized
militia, who have voluntarily enlisted
for certain definite period under this
act, and the general mass Of citizens
able-bodied men between the ages of Is
and 45-who under the constitution
are liable to military duty under the
general term militia.
The obligation to military service OF
these two classes of militia rests upon
totally different foundations. The OBJ
legation of the former is wholly under
and by virtue Of his contract of enlist
ment. which has been voluntarily en-
tered into by him under the provisions
of said law and for definite term
The obligation of the latter arises out
OF his duties Us u citizen under the or.
ganic law of the land, to come to the
defense Of the country whenever cir
cumstanCes may require his services.
OBLIGATION OF THE CITIZEN.
The obligation Of the latter mani
festIy extends to any service that emer
Pency may require in any part of thi;
country. 1t was under this obligation
that our armies were filled up by draft
ing during the latter part of the war ot
the rebellion. 1t is equally clear a:
matter Of law that the obligation of TIE
forner-the National guard flimiteC
by his contract of enlistment and the
q laws under which the guard is organ
lied, and which the first section of tht
act, above quoted say, the guardsmar
shall be at all times Subject to the
orders of his officers The power o.
the officers is defined and limited il
subsequent sections.
Section IS provides that "military
duty shall require the attendance o.
commissioned officers, non,eOmmis
stoned officers, musicians and private,
on all occasions Of drills, parades, anC
encampments, and a time service
ordered by"--his superior officers
etc. Section 81 provides when guarC
may be ordered out for active service
and it is the only authority for sucf
service.
II reads as follows: "When an in
vasion Of or insurrection in, the state i
made or threatenedior a tumult, riot o
mob shall exist, the commander in
chiefshallcall upon the Nationalguard
and Mt his discretion upon the enrolled
militia (the second-class above-men
tionedl to repel or suppress thu
same. =.
Now in view Of above facts, the oft.
repeated statement that the NatiOna
guard is available at a moments no
lice for service wherever needed In tht
United States, is clearly an error tha
mightunder sudden emergency prov,
very disastrous. ! am now speakin!
from military standpoint, which re
CARDS such troops available only as ar
absolutely subject to military order
and discipline.
NO MORE PATRIOTIC MEN.
There is no more patriotic body O
men in the world than are our owl
suburb National guard, and most un
doubtedly every man would prompt,
say yes to any emergency call by tn
general government. But this proba
bilily does not fulfill the military con
ditions Of availability.
Such an emergency as would occu
IN case Of sudden invasion from on
long and unprotected northern frontier
as was thought possible only n fey
years ago during the Behring sea i'm
broglio when the secretary of war tele
graphed the adjutant general of Penn
sylvania asking how quickly he coult
put the guard enroute for Buffalo 0
Cleveland) would involve a service O
several months duration at least, witt
all the probabilities of,actual war witt
powerful foreign nation.
1t is clear such service Is not con
templated by the National guard or
ganizatlon, and it is exceedingly un
wise toTemain in a position where
owing to emergency conditions, such
service might have to be asked iron
it, The guards special work Is to TAX
care of our own state, more cannot an,
ought not TO be asked of it, until /
shall be-if ever--organized upon a ma
tional basis. The old maxim, az,
time of peace prepare for war" is a
applicable today as ever The possibl
need of a large army for defensive pun
poses ought to be recognized at once
THE CANADIAN MILITIA.
The militia force of our Canadian
neighbors is organized on differen
basis from our guard. 1t is an auxil
iary of their regular army and can b
utilized at moments notice. Thi
was exemplified some years ago durinI