The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-04-21
NATIONAL GUARDS HIGHEST OF
FICERS TALK FREELY.
Col. Fisher Tells of What viii Happen
to Government Employees Who Do
Not Attend to Their Drill-Reform.

Military troubles were fully VEN
tilated at the election for captain of
Company b. in the drill shed last even
ing. Five of the highest officials in the
National Guard were on hand and had
something to say, every word of which
was of the greatest interest. The re-
suit of the conference between the of
ficers' committee and President Dole
over recent embarrasments in the mi
litia was made known. This is the
first time the officers have opened up
so extensively on the meeting with the
Commander-in-Ch and many new
matters wereb rought out.
The most important information Civ
en- out was the statement made by
Capt Paul Smith, of CompanyA, that
President Dole had assured the MEM
bers of the committee that he would
see to it hereafter that appointments
to vacancies in the Government SER
vice would be chosen from men in the
ranks of the National Guard. "The
President also gave us to understand"
continued Capt. Smith, that the
young men already in the Government
employ and not identified with the
National Guard would be notified that
their enlistment in same would be ap-
preciated by the Government"
After Capt. Smith had finished
speaking Lieut.. Col. j. II. Fisher gave
Company b members an idea of what
would be done with the Government
employees who are now in the Guard,
but who are dilatory in their duties.
They are to be court martialed, and if
found guilty, to be given a dishonor-
able discharge. Such treatment ad-
ministered to any Government en-
ploye would necessarily cost him his
position, for rule in the military reg
! Jlations provides that any one dishon-
orably discharged from the National
Guard shall be disqualified to hold
office unless interference is made by
the Commander-in-C Col. Fisher
announced that the captain of any of
the volunteer companies who would
prefer charges against those Govern
ranks who make no effort to get out
to drills, or take any interest in the
company, a court martial would be
| forthcoming.
I'VE must make an example of some
of these people," continued the Col
onel II have been told tonight by Mr..
\. +. Cooke, a member of your COM
pany, and | have noticed it before,
that the Government employees, gen
orally speaking, are the poorest mem
bers in the National Guard. Why
they should have this Indifference l
cannot fully explain. They should be
among the first people of the land to
give the militia their support
81 feel that the National Guard can
be brought to excellent condition if
matters are properly handled. | have
letter which is more of a private
nature, from President Dole and deliv-
cred to me this evening. In il the
President speaks hopefully of the
Guard and | am convinced that we
have the fullest support of Mr.. Dole
and the Cabinet, and it is right that
we should have it,"
Maj. George f. Mcleod, of the FIRST
Battalion, of which Company B is a
part. gave the militiamen an inkling
as to what is being done when he
stated that the men should not be sur
prised if twenty-five new members
were added to Company B very shortly
after the first of the month.
The other volunteer companies, and
especially ID Company, which have
been manifesting a lack of interest
lately in military matters, were also
to be recruited so the Major said. Evi.
dently a great deal of quiet work IS
going on.
Capt. Schaefer could not understand
how men could remain away from drill
when they had taken an oath to attend
drills and meetings of their company
Some people might not think much OF
an oath, but he did. Capt. SchaefeI
believed that if the delinquent mem
bcrs thought of this little there
would be larger turnout at drill.
Mai. j. Walter Jones, of the SeconC
Battalion, made a few encouraging re
marks.
Col. Fisher later in the evening rosC
to say that he still had great hopes
that an armory would be constructed
within short time. The project
might have to remain in allegiance un
til the meeting of the next Legislature
when an appropriation of part would
probably be made. The Colonel sin
cerely believed that the militiameI
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