The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-12
INYHE EVENT OF WAR
HOW THE NATIONAL GUARD COULD
BE MoHILIzEo.

Nee0eo - the IEescns Asmo moOB
tion sf the Force For Foreign War
Only.
The military defense act which the
United States doubtless stands most In
need Of at the present moment is one
whereby the militia bodies Of the whole
country will become a compact and
comprehensively organized national
force. with their position. discipline
and movement accurately determined
for readiness in time Of foreign war.
II the United States should be in.
volved now with Spain or any other
power Of Consequence. the first move
would be to place the regular army In
the field, and immediately afterward
the national guard would be modified
for active service.
We have a national guard composed
of enthusiastic volunteers, maintained
In many states more by their sacrifices
than by the Just treatment Of their state
governments. The efficiency Of the
guard varies from high In several states
to below zero in otherm The regimen
tai and company strength widely differ,
the equipment and clothing are ex-
tremely variant, the arms likewise diff
er. and some have magnificent armo-
ries, while others drill In aheds. To
bring order out Of 100, 900 such soldiers,
irregularly comprised in detail, will
take enormous labor and time, AZ we'll
az q waste Of money which would have
been obviated by previous organization
into modern national military ma
chine.
Nearly every high army officer and
many national guard officers have at
one time or another pointed out these
dangers aud urged some scheme for con-
gressional action. Several Of these plans
have received careful attention, while
others have been dismissed as impracti-
Cal because Of their too European heavi-
ness or expense. The majority Of them,
however, have failed to win approval
because they did not properly recognize
tho civilian side Of the service or tho
sensibilities Of the states and difference
in state laws.
Some have not remembered that the
amount of training militiaman can
possibly receive Is limited; that be is
working citizen first and a soldier aft
erward. and the amount Of time sacri-
Aced cannot be much larger. II pow
erful national force 10 to be organized
out Of the militia, It must be carefully
adapted to meet the variety Of state
conditions. and II effected quickly must
disturb as little as possible the existing
military laws Of different common
wealths.
The proper plan to follow in the case
il to perfect an organization Of the
forces for the purpose Of foreign war
only, leaving for every other duty the
military under the same authority as II
no national reserve existed. Belonging
to the larger body would affect each
command only in the matter Of its
improved efficiency and equipment, as
well as uniformity in size Of regiments
Whatever service the troops perform
as members of the national force must
be considered as additional to all state
duty, and complete regiments only,
which under their own state laws are
required to do certain amount Of drill
and field duty every year for the state,
must be eligible to the reserve.
Upon enrolment in the reserve the
United States should provide each regi.
ment with complete equipment and
with arms. They ought to have two
uniforms, one for field service and one
for parade, for the facts must not be
lost sight of that militia troops must
always be given the opportunity to show
themselves upon occasions In dress uni
form and that, however unmilitary ii
may seem to some professional soldiers,
this endowment Of a handsome uniform
does too much for the enthusiasm and
esprit de corps to we'll be ignored.
The performance of weekly drill (but
with regular inspections by regular
army officers) may be taken as sufficient,
but in addition to the six days field
duty for the state the reserve should &c
into camp of instruction by brigade an.
nually for period Of either 10 or IL
days exclusive of time occupied in
transportation il 10 days. and every
three years the encampment should be
by division, the alternating Of the three
divisions Of the corps upon different
years permitting field officers Of the other
divisions to attend for training as they
should be required to do
The pay given to regiments for their
duty as members Of the reserve should
Be 20 much per annum for the annual
work laid down, ipoluding attendance
at. say, %6 weekly drills, and all alb
sences from drill should be deducted
pro rata from the pay, while penaltie,
should be ordered for dereliotion Of duty
and failure to join promptly for camp
Of instruction. Army and Navy Jour.
nal.
An Englishman's Home IL His Castle.