New-York tribune., 1898-09-18
TIE GUAPDSNAN'S LESSON.

Great pressure is being brought TO bear upon
the War Department for the discharge Of volun
teer organizations which are now held in ser
vice for possible emergencies or for present
need In the line of garrison duty. Governors
and officers of the National Guard are urgent in
their demands that their boys be sent home TO
resume their clerkships. open their law offices
or engage in other occupations of peace. These
appeals contrast strangely with those made by
many of the same men about six months ago.
Nothing was then heard from militia cOlonels
about the Improperly of taking Guardsmen 10
do Regular Army work. They were then most
insistent on their readiness and fitness 10 as
sumo for unlimited period all responsibility
as the largest part of the fighting force of the
United States. They felt insulted If any Regu-
lar officer expressed a doubt of their adaptable
fly for any and every duty arising out of the
war. and were bitterly opposed TO any Increase
In the Regular Army lest their prestige should
be hurt and they should be deprived of the
chance to prove 10 the country that they were
rot TO be considered home guards, useful only
for emergencies. but were perfectly equipped
and trained soldiers ready to go anywhere and
do anything Accordingly they prevented any
expansion and reorganization on the War De
partment plan and obtained the privilege they
coveted, and now they are apparently not salts
fed with their bargain.
1t is only fair to say that the great body Of
the Guardsmen and their officers did their best
to perform every duty which they assumed in
demanding that the country accept them as its
army. They were ready to fight and to die, and
in every emergency they did All that could have
been expected of men with their arms and their
experience. Nevertheless, the present move
merits to secure discharges. the perfectly true
assertions that il is hard for men who are not
professional soldiers TO be kept from the work
in which they must gain a living for themselves
and their families. show that the West Pointers
were right in asserting that, however valuable
the Guardsmen might he in case of need ii was
a mistake TO attempt to transform the National
Guard into volunteer army This the Guards
men themselves see now that the enthusiasm Of
war and the prospect of glory are past They
find that to take tie place of Regulars and form
an army of the size needed by the Government
means sacrifices that they are not prepared To
make, and which they ought not to make except
in supreme emergency. OF the duty of every
man to leave home or business at the call of his
country there can be no doubt. But there is no
reason, when the country is full of men TO
whom the Army offers an attractive occupation
hardship to themselves or desertion of other du-
ties why men Of families with business ties
which cannot be broken without great loss
should be forced into the Army largely to show
the importance of State military organizations
to which they belong.
While the valor of the Guardsmen volunteers
Is appreciated 10 the full. this war has probably
taught both the Guarlsmen and the general
aho no of
State troops and 1t is to be hoped that when
next the subject of Army reorganization Is
brought forward we shall not see officers of the
National Guard attempting TO defeat the plans
of experts of the Regular Army for expansion
and equipment Of that Army. so that 1t may be
equal to the calls upon it, through fear that an
adequate Regular Army will rob them of some
of their glory. The effect Of their former OBJ
struction was TO compel the Government to de-
pend on Guard organizations. and the result