The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-10
DEFENDS DICK BILL
COL. G. ARTHUR GORDON ANSWERS
OBJECTIONS AGAINST 1T.
NO NEW DANGER, He SAYS.
DANGERS POINTED OUT HAVE Ex-
ISTED SINCE 1908. HE SAYS.

Than Does Pre-existing Law by
restricting President in Ordering
out Troops Declares States
Rights Are Not InfrinEed-State
statute Affords Protection Against
Negro Oficers' PredOminance.
The Dick bill forms the all absorbing
topic among the military men of Sa-
vannah to-day. 1t is probable that
never before has any measure looking
TO the advancement of the efficiency of
the militia been productive of so much
discussion and argument as has the
Dick militia bill. Many articles de-
signed to show the benefits which will
accrue as the result of the operation of
the law, and others to point out the OBJ
jectionable features of the measure,
have appeared in public print, but ar
tlcles in defense of the bill. explaining
its operation and in what manner it is
q departure from the existing law, have
not been forthcoming.
Many military men are seeking en-
hghtenment on the subject, and it is
safe to say that few of the officers and
all but none of the enlisted men are not
familiar with the provisions of the bill.
1t is a measure which cannot be COM
pretended at first reading, but which
requires careful analysis and COMPARE
son. In letter to the Morning News,
Col G. Arthur Gordon whose knowl-
edge of the bill and the application of
It's provisions. already entitled to great
weight, has been strengthened by the
Intelligent discussion on it at the In
terstate National Guard Convention,
and who is himself an able exponent of
it's adoption, has the following to say:
Col. GOrdOn's Letter.
The advent of Maj Francis II.
French, Sixteenth Infantry, to inspect
the National Guard of this state as pre-
scribed in Section IA of the act entitled
An act to promote the efficiency of the
militia and for other purposes APP
proved Jan. 81, 1908, has aroused a
lively interest in the said act, which
is popularity known as the Dick BILL
Numerous opinions principally ad-
verse to the bilD have found their way
into print. 1t is right and proper that
those who object to the bill should
IIldh6 hIlONH their views. the Dali
is an insidious attack upon the liber-
ties Of the American people, those who
detect its dangers should sound a note
of warning. If this legislation is vi
cious it should have been opposed, and,
if possible, defeated, when under con-
sideration by the United States Senate
last January; but the fact that it IS
now law of the United States should
not deter an officer from using his in
fluence to prevent the acceptance of it's
terms by the officers and enlisted men
of this state, If he cOnScientiously ne
lieves that this law is destined to fast
en- a despotic government upon a free
people.
AS the reading public are entitled
to have both sides of an important
question of this kind placed before
them, and as I personally favor the
acceptance of the Dick bill by the Geor-
gia State Troops, l have decided to
enbody in this letter to you the in
formation / have been able to obtain
on the subject. l do this with great
dif1dence, because discussion of the bill
involves interpretations of law, and,
possessing no legal training, l am man
ifestly untitled to claim for my opin-
ions the weight which attaches TO those
of a trained lawyer. However, for the
benefit of all who are interested in
reading favorable presentation of the
bill, l respectfully submit the follow
ing:
A Favorable Presentation.
AT the Interstate National Guard
Convention, held last week in Column
bus, O., the delegates listened to ad-
dresses made by the Secretary of War,
the Assistant Secretary of War, and
Lieut.. Col. James Parker, A. A. G.,
who has been charged by the Secretary
of War with carrying out the provls-
ions of the Dick bill. Col. Parker was
asked many questions by the delegates
The Secretary of War, and the off,
GERS of the army, and the officials of
the War Department explained that
the idea of the Dick bill is to provide
what they term a second line of de-
Tense for the United States. They
claim that war may not be so far dis
tant as many people imagine. They
believe that actual warfare will pre-
cede formal declaration of war, and
that there will be no opportunity, such
as the United States had during the
Spanish American War, to prepare the
volunteers for six or eight weeks prior
TO the actual commencement of hostif-
tiles. They claim that the regular
army of $4,000 men can be used for the
offensive, or for the first line of de-
tense, while the volunteer army is be-
ing raised, armed and disciplined, but
that a second line of defense, consist
ing of from one hundred. to one hum
dred and twenty-five thousand National
0uardsmen should be so uniformed,
armed, equipped and disciplined that
they could, at the call of the President
be modified and ready for service
within twenty-four hours after his call
was issued
The National Guards of the various
states, in case Of war, would probably
be called into service for home duty
only, and would be mustered out as fast
as the volunteer organizations were
ready for service, except in cases where
regiments chose to volunteer as units
Tor the war.
The Dick bill is important only In
sofar as it changes the laws, which
We're of force prior to the passage of
the Dick bill. If the contingencies sug-
gested by the directors to the Dick bill
were just as likely to arise under the
former laws all objections to the new
law, based upon such con-
tingencies, naturally fall to the
ground. An examination of the law is,
therefore, of interest.
The Principal objection.
Objection has been made to section
: Of the Dick BILL which reads as fol-
lows:
" Whenever the United States is in
Naded or in danger of invasion from
any foreign naticn, or of rebellion
against the authority of the govern
ment of the United states, or the Pres
ldent is unable with the other forces
at his command to execute the laws