The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-05-05
FROM SPECTATOR.
Suggestions as to Duty of
Government.
Membership in N. G. n. May be
Rewarded - Regarding
Drills.

! MR.. EDITOR:-As there is so much
| discussion going on about the \. G- II.
and the Citizens Guard, and the find
| ing of Government positions for mem
bers of these organizations, allow me
space, please, for few remarks.
If a man enlists in the n. G. H., is
it that he may say TO the Government:
Now, l have enlisted and sworn al
| legiance to you, and in return you
must secure a good, fat position for
me?" If such be the case, his motive is
purely mercenary, as likewise is his
allegiance. So far as such a one is
concerned, the name volunteer is a
misnomer He is a regular, in the full
sense of that term, for he expects to be
and is paid by the Government, though
not directly for whatever service he
renders in carrying a gun
If man has any love for this coun-
try, it seems to me, he should be will
ing TO attend drills and to turn out in
it's defense whenever necessary. The
instruction whereby man becomes
proficient in drill and has some idea
of military discipline is no secondary
proposition. Whenever a man has to
turn out, let the Government pay him
for his time. In the United States,
whenever the troops go into the field,
for camping purposes, the State pays
them one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50)
per day, with board, room and wash
ing"
If the Government gives the mem
bers of these various military organi-
cations to understand that they can
not come into the military with the
supposition that they will get a posi-
ton, but that the Government will pay
them so much a day whenever ordered
out excepting drill and parades). all
this talking and wrangling will be
stopped.
If man is capable of filing a GER
tain position, and he belongs to the
militia. by all means, give him the
preference. but for man to join the
militia with the idea that therefore the
Government must secure him a good
position. with easy hours and better
pay, seems to me radically wrong, and
the sooner militiamen have been dis
be for all concerned.
While under this head. allow me to
make a suggestion relative to drill and
discipline:
I think you will agree with me that
all military organizations should be
well disciplined by well-drilled in
structors In order to obtain the best
results in this regard, an officers ly-
ceum (schooD should be organized for
the purpose of instruction in the drill
regulations and manual of guard duty.
Meetings could be held once a week.
and suitable instructor elected.
Members could be assigned subjects
for lectures to be read before the
school. After the lecture. the subject
could be discussed The drill regula
tions should be gone over carefully,
but every member of the school should
become proficient therein before the
matter of lectures is attempted, how
ever.
A non-commissioned officers school
should also be established for the pur-
pose of studying drill regulations and
manual of guard, with commissioned
officer as instructor.
They should be given practice in
drilling the company, to enable them
to become capable of taking command,
in case of an emergency.
Furthermore, as you have regular |
troops here, who drill with the militia,
and as it is perfectly apparent that the |
regulars out-drill the militia. the regu- |
lars should have the right of the line, |
their proper place. BY so doing. it |
seems to me that there would be more |
and precision in the move
nents, and at the same time, more of a
source of instruction to the volun
-eers. I do not intend this, Mr.. Editor,
is a criticism but offer it merely as
Yours respectfully,
A SPECTATOR.
Honolulu. April %, 1897.