The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-03-18
NATIONAL GUARDSMEN.
Their Status as Regards the Ma.
tional Government.
They Are subject to the Presidents OrderA
without Recourse. for Duty In or
Outside of the United States MI
nors Being Weeded Out.

ait lts W tdths W AAHt
changes from its present status would
follow its impressment into national
scrvice?"
These questions were put TO Judge
Advocate Gen. Clifford Il. Allen, of the
First regiment. for the information OF
the public, and were all answered cate
gorically with an incisivencSs and com
prehensiveness betokening recent spe-
citic research.
1.-The national guard is citizen sol
diery of the United States" he began.
1T is both state and. as the term sig.
mites, a national guard. 1t is the re-
serve army of this country-the only
one we have. II is not only subject to
the call of the governors OF the states,
but it is also subject to the president.
1t can be used by the governors OF
the several states to uphold the law
within their respective states; il can be
used by the United States to repel any
hostile force which may attempt to in
wade the country. There is an impress
sion in the minds of some that the ma
tional guard can be used only within
the states to which the commands re
spectively belong; but under the acts
of congress, based upon constitutional
provision. the national guard of any
state may be used under the orders o:
the president wit hout the United States
That is to say, if the president saw fit,
he could order the national guard foi
duty in Cuba or Canada. 1t other
words, after the national guard has
been ordered into the service of the
United States government the only dis
function, SO far as its duty is concerned
is that the courts-martial which may
be called upon to try military offenders
of national guardsmen must be com.
posed of officers of the national guard.
That is the only distinction that occurs
TO me at the present time as regards
the service"
''How would it be called into the
service of the United States?"
In the event that the president OF
the United States should desire troops
from the national guard, he would adj
dress a request to the governors Of such
states as commanded the troops he de.
sired to furnish the number of men re
qui-ed from such state. to report at
designated point. lie would simply
say to Gov. Stephens: i desire 2.OOt
men from you, to report at Allan
ia or Mobile or any other
point; and the governor would
through his Acknowledgement and
general of militia, select such troops "A.
he saw fit, to report in accordance with
such order a. the point designed Or
arrival the troops would be reported
to the United States army officer in
command.
after such report of the various reg
iments of the national guard to the
United States government, what woulo
become of the personal stats of the re.
spective colonies is a matter OF some
considerable conjecture. As rule, in
the national guard the duties OF quar-.
1ermaster and commissary are per.
formed by staff officers appointed by
the colonies of the respective regi-
ments. No officers of the line. as o
rule. have had any experience in either
OF the two capacities There are not
IN the national guard. as in the United
States army. extra lieutenants who do
perform such service for their re.
spoctive regiments. 1t might he
such extra lieutenauts. that
G) these two staff positions might
be retained; or (2l the officers holding
such commissions might b. detailed for
department service; or 81 the United
States might dispense entirely with the
officers holding such commissions. But
in the event of the prosecution OF hos
Utilities on an extensive scale, there i
little doubt that the government would
find use for all men who had expert.
ence in either OF these two departments
or. for that matter, all who had any
military education al all. | believe
that should hostilities begin. and con.
tinue for say nine or twelve months.
you would see the men who are now
filling non-commissioned officers place
holding commissions as lieutenants and
captains. People who have not given
study to the subject would be sur.
prised to learn how small is the per-
ccntage of men who arc able even "a
command a company. ! may say, in
this connection, that national guards
men can only be made use Of un
der the first call for nine months.
That is. they can only be used 10y
the government OF the United States
for its purposes for nine months, sub
jcct to "A call such as has been hereto
fore mentioned. The relation of the
national guard to their respective
states would not change; they would
simply be mustered out of the govern
ment service, as would volunteer
and be allowed TO return TO their
homes.
The conclusions | have given you
are those given TO the colonel Of the
First regiment as basis for his con.
duct in the event of call. and | will
add that he will obey any order that
comes to him through the proper chan
nell
Mr.. Allen stated that, should the
First regiment be called into service by
the federal government, its ranks
would contain the full complement o.
men over 81 years Of age. Its colonel
has for some time been wedding out tn,
minors, in order TO escape troublesome
lone a4 he la. 49,. -.