The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-01
If WAR SHOULD COME.
What the Modelling of The Natjona,
Guard Would Be Like.

III. L. Bridwell in Army and Navy Journal,
| 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 be-
come compact and comprehensiveIv Or
ganized national force, with their position.
discipline and movement accurately de.
termined for readiness in time of foreign
war. If the United States should be in
volved now with Spain or any other Power
| of consequence the first move would be to
place tho regular army in the field, and i'm
| medistely afterward the National Guard
would be mobiliged for active service. Right
| here would ensue as matters are nova con-
fused tangle, made all the more desperate
| By the patriotic enthusiasm of the various
state bodies and series of delays, bicker-
ings, riyalrles and dangerous disputes, all
permitted to thrive because general war
organization was not previously laid down,
with settled authority for governing the
assignment of troops.
Wars come suddenly these days, and de-
lays of hours mean millions. This is not
the proper end of the century for great
nation to be careless of its defenses,
neither is the United States so rich that it
can fool away thousands of dollars when ten
rightly applied would SUFFICE Tfansporta-
ton, and sustenance for an army soon run
into millions, to say nothing of the danger
OF miscalculation.
We have National Guard composed of
enthusiastic volunteers maintained in many
States more by their sacrifices than by the
just treatment of their State governments.
Inc efhciency of the guard varies from high
IN several States to below zero in others.
the regimental and company siren 9Th is
widely different, ssthe equipment and cloth
ing extremely variant, the arms likewise
differ, and some have magnificent armor1es,
while others drill in sheds. To bring order
out of 100000 such soldiers, irregularly COM
prised in detail, will take enormous labor
and time, as well as waste of money,
which would have been Obviated by previ-
Gus organization into a modern national
mill tary machine.
Nearly every high army officer and many
National Guard offic ers have, at one time or
another, pointed out these dangers and
urged some scheme for congressional action.
Several of these plans have received careful
ATTENTION, while others have been dismissed
as impractical because of their too Euro
pean heaviness or expense. The majority
of them, however, have failed to win APP
proval because they did not properly rec og-
nize the civilian side of the service or the
sensihilities of the States and difference in
State laws.
Some have not remembered that the
amount of training militiaman can pos
sibly receive is limited; that he is working
citizen first and soldier afterward, and
the amount of time sacrificed cannot be
much larger. If powerful national force
is to be organized out of the militia it must
be carefully adapted to meet the variety of
State conditions, and if effected quickly
must disturb as little as possible the exist.
ing military laws of different common
wealths.
The proper plan to follow in the case is to
perfect an organization of the forces for th
purpose of foreign war only, leaving for ev- .
cry other duty the military under the same
authority as if no national reserve existed.
Belonging to the larger body would affect
each command only in the matter of their
improved efficiency and equipment as well
as uniformity in size of regiments. What
ever service the troops perform as mem bers
of the national force must be considered as
additional to all State duty ana complete
I6SkAcIitS Ouly, WHICH, undCl oliCll OWN Ctdbo
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 regiment
with complete equipment and with arms.
They ought to have two uniforms, one for
field service and one for parade, for the fact
must not be lost sight of that militia troops
-, h. +l,4
show themselves upon occasions in dress I'M
form and that, however unmilitary it may
seem to some professional soldiers, this en-
dowment of a handsome uniform does too
much for the enthusiasm and esprit ole corps
to well be ignored.
The performance of weekly drill (but with
regular inspection by regular army oticers)
may be taken as sufficient, but in addition
to the six days field duty for the State
the reserve should go into camp of instruc-
ton by brigade annually for a period of
either ten or twelve days exclusive of time
occupied in transportation if ten days. and
every three years the encampment should
eb by division the alternating of the three
divisions of the corps upon different years
permitting field officers of the other di-
visions to attend for training as they should
be required to do.
1t will be necessary here to touch upon the
system by which the general officers shall
be selected for division. and corps command
since that is matter of ready solution,
and it is probable that the command of the
brigade will be the highest given to National
Guard officers.
The ay given to regiments for their duty
as members of the reserve should be so
much per annum for the annual work laid
down, including attendance at, say, forty
five weekly drills, and all absences from
drill should be deducted pro rata from the
pay, while penalties should be ordered for
dereliction of duty and failure to join
promptly for camp of instruction.
Beyond thus giving general sketch of
national system for bringing efficiency out
OF the militia force, there is little need to
go. The plan may even have in detail such
features as will not do at all, bnt there is
| surely the basis here for an excellent scheme
of organization which conflicts in no man
| ner with the original State duties OF. Nation
be- -