The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-18
ODELL LET'S EN- OFF DRILL.
CAMPAIGN TREACLE FOR THE
NATIONAL GUARD.
Order BY the G0yernor-Chairman-C Noon.
mander.in-Chief That Drills May BE
Omitted During the Campaign at the
option OF Reyimental ommanders.

Oruef ~ inc neutrality-suspicious.
mander.in.Chief That Drills May BE
Omitted During the Campaign at the
option OF Reximental Commanders.
Through an order issued by Benjamin B.
odell, who ia not only the Governor Chair
man but the Commander in Chief Chairman
as well, all the mlitiamen OF the State of
New York are relieved from drill until
the political campaign Is at an end. The
order was issued about a month ago, and as
the time draws near when always here
tofore National Guard drills have been
resumed for the fall and winter 1t is caus-
Ing more and more talk among those who
have the interests Of the service at heart.
The order as 1t stands does not peremp-
torily extend the time Of relief from drills.
1t simply leaves 1t optional with the diff
ferent commands whether they drill or
not until the list of November next. The
regular fixed time under the regulations
for beginning the autumn drill work Is
the LIST OF October. The Governor-Com-
mander in Chief Chairman has arbitrarily
broken this established rule and extended
the time until the lst OF November just a
week before election day. The guardsmen
are thus left free for active campaign work.
None Of the higher officers OF the National
Guard would Of course. discuss this order
Of their superior when questioned yesterday,
as to have done 80 would have been to vio-
late one Of the rudimentary principles OF
military ethics Gen. James McLeer, COM
handing the Second Brigade, was seen at
the Antietam ceremonies in Prospect Park
Brooklyn. All he would say was that such
L. ha
There was no reason given for the
order, said the General, -and by its terms
the question OF drills is left optional with
commanders until the list Of November.
Personally have issued no order on the
subject to the brigade under my command.
As the matter stands the question OF drills
or no drills is left optional with the Colonies
OF the respective regiments until the list of
November, instead Of until the LIST Of Oc-
tober, as has been the rule heretofore.
Other officers of subordinate rank as
well as privates who are enthusiastic in
the service were less reticent about the
Governor Chairman's queer order. Several
OF them denounced it privately as injurious
to the service.
I'VE do not get enough drill as it is,
said one of the privates yesterday, and
now we have whole month of 1t cut out
II the officers choose. suppose it is poll
tics and that the idea is to coddle the Ma
tional Guardsmen. 1t may coddle and
please some OF the lazier ones, and 1t may
be satisfactory to the regiments that went
to Manassas and there got enough hard
work to last them for a while. But the
great mass Of the best National Guardsmen
will resent it as an injection of politics to
the detriment Of the service
Just how many of the regimental COM
manders will take advantage of this grocery
political order remains to be ascertained.
There was . general reluctance yesterday
to discuss the matter except here and there
among men who were especially Disguised
at the introduction OF cracker-barrel novel;
ties into the service.