Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-03
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Sea Girt and Manassas Cen
tiers oil interest.
CONTEST OF RIFLEMEN
LOCAL TEAM ROPES TO WIN DRY
DENNTRoPHY.
Naval Battalion's Annual Cruise
Troops Paid for Service in Field
Militia Defended.

G,rt. N. J., the naval battalion of for its
annual cruise, and large party Of COM
missioned officers on the way to Gainesville,
where they will observe the big army ma
neuyers. the affairs of the National Guard
of the District of Columbia at the capital
are unusually quiet. Throughout next
week. at least, there will be. strictly speak
ing nothing doing here in military way.
Naturally, all eyes will be conferred on that
section of Virginia in the neighborhood OF
Manassas and Thoroughfare, for the as
sembling of 10000 troops for the purpose OF
playing the war game on historic ground
is an event Of more than ordinary import
ance, especially to National Guardsmen
The work of the District riflemen on the
Jersey range will be closely followed also.
In view of the remarkable shooting. under
all the circumstances of the brigade rifle
team while at Fort Riley, Kan, 1t would
not be surprising if the local rifiemen should
capture a good share of the prizes, and per
haps the Dryden trophy at the Sea Girt
meet The tackles who forsook their ma
tive element temporarily this morning and
tourneyed to Philadelphia by rail must be
on their mettle for they will be required to
navigate with the assistance of a crew OF
regular seamen. the big Puritan from the
League Island navy yard to this port.
Troops Paid for Service.
Nearly everybody in the brigade was
made happy last Wednesday by the an
nouncement that Capt Andrew Parker, the
Woodworking paymaster Of the District
militia, was prepared to pay the guardsmen
for services rendered during the recent an
nual encampment near Harper's Ferry.
Capt Parker, with the assistance of Mr..
Boyd Taylor, disbursed the funds with most
commendable rapidity last Thursday and
Friday evenings. In consequence the party
going to Gainesville and those headed for
Sea Girt left In much better financial con-
ditiOn than would have been the case had
the pay officer been less energetic.
The officers who started for Gainesville
late this afternoon were in heavy riding
order. Each member of the party was pro-
vided with halter, nose bag, saddle bags,
shelter tent, blanket, poncho. canteen, tin
cup, meat can, knife. fork and spoon.
The party will bivouac this evening at
West Falls Church, where rations will be
furnished by the commissary department.
and feed for the horses will be supplied by
the quartermaster department. 1t Is in
tended that the party shall reach Gaines
vile not later than y o'clock noon tomor-
row. at which place camp will have been
established and dinner prepared,
Defense of the Militia.
Referring to tendency in certain quar-
tiers to ridicule and belittle. or at least to
fail of proper appreciation of, the purpose
and the work of the militia. the Army and
Navy Register calls attention to a promi-
nent western newspaper INDUCING in some
remarks prompted by, the reports of the
performance of the District of Columbia
militia during their epeampment at Har-
per's Ferry. W. Va. The operations of the
militiamen are regarded ,by the western
paper as altogether; useless That paper
continues: : - - g.isTot dt;~ t..-i- H.
Camp life Constitutes an important drill
and experience. for the citizen soldiery, but
Sl,a cit lsil
avoid the impression that there is great
deal of humbug about the sham battles
that take placeiifT peace soldering may
be learned within the paths OF peace, but
battles and strategy that are not learned In
real war are of small account. The sham
article seems like proclamation: at least 1t
looks good deal like boys playing soldier
with modern guns There is to be, a little
later. a tremendous military encampment
on the famous field of Bull Run. Here Is
to be heaps of strategy and great
light Thousands upon thousands of
troops are to be there with horses and ac-
couterments. There will be many officers,
and more lace and fancy trappings than
there were at either of the real battles of
Bull Run. 1t may be all right. but to
man in the cockloft of a newspaper build
ing 1t doesn't look as If 1t would be worth
the money it will COST
1t is surprising that newspaper pub
lished within the boundaries Of a state
famous for it's well disciplined. we'll
equipped anu "eli-tFdiHeu nlItld. says
the Army and Navy Register. should take
such a paltry. petty view of the organiza-
ton of the citizen soldier. 1t is added: This
playing soldier which is condemned as a
humbug and proclamation, is one way
or giving the volunteer soldier an oppor-
tunlty to know what will be expected of
him in time of war. When that dire ca
lamlty Is again visited upon this country
we shall have body of national defend
ers who are not unused to the conditions
OF actual service. They will go into the
held with some knowledge of the demand
upon their vigor and endurance. They
Will know how to harbor their personal
resources and will be fairly warned
against the dangers which beset the I'M
trained and the untried. The soldier who
KNOWS what is expected of him, who
Knows what he is expected to do and who
knows what to expect of himself Is bet
ter than the soldier who answers his
countrys call ignorant of the conditions.
Inc Cincinnati Enquirer from it's limited
base or observation in the attic of a
newspaper building can hardly be ex-
pected to appreciate the sagacity of
training men for military service, but
that paper would be the first and among
iliary which bungIed at it's duties and
failed at the critical time
Not Theatrical Maneuver.
The sham battle of today is not the
theatrical maneuver which was wont to
slsts or the uphill rush of bowling mob,
1t IS. instead. the employment of legitimate
strategy and if it cannot be entirely learn
ed In the tactics in the national militia en-
eampments 1t can at least become partially
known 10 the participants, the officers and
men, by that meanss Absorbing to the Gin
clnau paper our facilities for thraShing an
enemy must be developed after war is de-
clared by which time, NO course If We are
so situated, our adversary will have had
ample time to pulverize, vs. If there is any
virtue IN training in any line there Is ample
reason for the preliminary education and
development of the"soidfer. 1t is entirely In
the cause of adequate national protection
ana humanity that the young men, who will
De caiied upon to fight for their country in
the time OF war. shall ndI be sent into the
field with no knowledges9: their duties and
under ,.1r officers who are nHIbetter informed.
Ihese operations ,atothe national en-
campments of the militia. as well as the
comnlned maneuvers atb Manassas during
benefit to the county,, FL advantages can
not be expressed in, financial terms and it is
sun more unjust to- the plans and the par
uclpahts TO speak contsmptuously of the
lace and fancy trappings' which are
imagined as adorning an occasion OF frivol-
n.y. me encampment at Manassas and its
attendant operations of the troops, regular
and mlltia> will be j. valuable occupation
OF Doth bodies of soldiers They will be no