New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-26
CraRDSUEy'S RIGHTS AND WRONGS.

GTARDSUENS RIGHTS AM "hoN"H'
Tho ncmbrr of the Massachusetts Naval Re
serve who IS quoted as saying, 1--WE don't care
",rboro wc fight or whom we fight under 50
.lorc nc tho vessel is good and our officers ETH
"clent." shows Il spirit which Is 10 DO COLI
mended to all members Of the Naval reserve
and the National Guard. A soldiers duty is 10
obey orders and n patriots duty is to serve his
country without higgng over terms. froDapy
no ten men could be brought togethcr VINO
would agree absolutely on every step 10 pe
taken In the prosecution of war But there ~
no way Of carrying a war to successful con-
cl,lsion except by putting ii into the hands OF
! the National authorities and accepting theIr
plans without cavil Those plans may run
counter to many interests and sensibilitieS per
haps some which might well be consdered-but
all citizens must assume that those In executive
position have the best knowledge attainable OF
how to accomplish the main object. and must
accept their decision. If the war Is to he car
red on Mt all 1t must he by them. and 1T IS Tor
them 10 make the administrative policy whlch
the people are In duty bound to support
Pride of a Guardsman in his regiment, loyalty
to it and desire 10 add TO its glory are natural
and praiscworthy. Such feeling and ambition
should not be lost and II should be the study or
all who have 10 make use of Guardsmcn's ser
vices 10 foster wherever possible the corps
shirt and make II effective for enthusiasm ana
devotion. Surely 10 Army officer who wants
the National Guard to serve nj all wishes 10
rob the mcmb RS of any Of the qualities when
GO TO make good soldiers, or 10 interfere I'M
u. ccssarlly with their comfort and convenience
but there may be things more important than
~, ~, fort conycnioprp even devotion 10
their ORGANIZATIONS The first business OF the
commander of the army Is 10 develop force
III TO fight Nobody will pretend that tho anti
ouatcd formations OF the National Guard regi-
rnents. few OF which have a full membership.
.re canal 10 the demands Of modern war tao
tics The characterization formation Is consid-
crcd hv experts essential 10 safe and effective
operations and twelve hundred men Is the
smallest number suitable for such division, and
eighteen hundred men are much better. while IN
some European armies three battalions OF eight
hundred men are thought to make the best regI-
mcnt TO fight with modern arms under the most
improved tactics Yet there Is not and cannot
bc n regiment of the New York National Guard
Of more than one thousand privatcs. Not one of
them even M ,hc start can arrange good three
battalion formation and after n campaign was
even from tho slight Illnesses incident TO camp
life would make an attempt at II ludicrous.
Moreover. Il is impossible 70 discriminate
against the regiment 81 five hundred men which
would be ridiculous In war, and the one of one
thousand men, which might make show OF Mt
ness for the new formation, II organizations arc
10 be sacredy treated The most that the War
Department can do In order 10 make volunteer
organizations ~ 10 work IN accord with the
science OF modern warfare s to preserve 50 far
as practicable TN. old companies and regiments,
but freely to consolidate for temporary pur-
poses so ms 10 form bodies large enough for
three battalion operations
Volunteer soldiers should at the start dsa-
busc themselves Of all notion that this war IS
wagel to give them or their companies military
glory. II the prospect OF glory for either man
or company can make better fighters, so much
the better. but they who are so quick TO name
the conditions under which they can serve their
country to advantage should be careful TO dis
tlnguish between conditions really essential 70
making n good nghting force and conditions dc
tnicd by vanity or other personal consIdera-
tons They should bear In mind the fact that
hard discipline is necessary. and that no soldier
Is fully trained til he obeys first and thinks OF
ambitions and rcgimcntal pride afterward. The
ballad Of rout records
We was rotten fore We started-ws was never
disciplined:
We made it out favor II an order was
o1cycd.
Yes every little drummer 'ad 'is rights an
wrongs to mind.
SO We had to pay for teachn-an' We paid!
our Guardsmen do not want to pay such n
price for teaching or have the country pay the
heavy penalty which comes from making war
subordinate to politics or petty scnsibllitcs, as
IT had 10 do at the beginning Of the Civil War.
Their feelings are easily understood. but they
certainly do not consider what yielding to them
means.