Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-01-27
OUR NATIONAL GUARD
President Talked to Soldier
Delegates at White House.
MUST LEARN TO MARCH AND SHOOT
Eorty-thrce states and Territories
Represented at Congress OF state
MiIitia--Isooseycit Favors Tests
as In Actual War.

WASHINGTON, Jan. -. Forty
three states ANA territories were repre-
scented by H. delegates at the annual
meeting OF the Interstate National
Guard association. Pennsylvania sent
twenty delegates, Illinois fourteen and
Ohio ten, these being the largest state
delegations. senator Charles A. Dick
of Ohio. the head of the organization,
presided. President Roosevelt. Secre-
tary Taft. Assistant Secretary of War
Oliver, General George H. Harrles,
commanding the District of Columbia
national guard. aud senator Dick We're
among the speakers.
President Roosevelt spoke 10 the del
egates in the east room of the White
necessity of instructing their com
mands in target practice and original
Initiative as individual soldiers. Later
the delegates We're introduced individ-
ualIy TO the president.
The president spoke as follows:
IL trust It is hardly necessary for me
to say what genuine pleasure II Is 10
me to greet this organization. | have
been member of the national guard
myself, and both at the time when /
was governor (as the present assistant
secretary of war can say and since
have been president and even when
was assistant secretary Of the navy
have always done all that in me lay to
further the interests OF the national
guard.
Il have good many things OH hand.
but one OF the things that are interest
ing me most at present, Senator Dick,
is the encouragement Of rifle PRACTICE
In the national guard. I wnnt 70 have
1t understood, gentlemen, that / do not
care anything like as much for how
your regiments march and perform pa
rade ground and armory maneuvers as
care for how they are instructed In
the work that would make them valna-
bic rs soldiers IN time of war; | ear
nestly hope that the national guard
and, Mr.. Taft. the regular army also.
especially the regular army. will more
and more have the kind Of instruction
that will make 1t second nature for the
man who marches TO march fully
equipped as he would he in time of
war.
"If he is trained to march that way
he will not throw away his equipment
the first time he goes TO war; otherwise
he will do 1t. want to see the average
national guardsman know how to shoot
well. / want to see the fund that we
have for rife practice distributed
among the several state organizations,
partly at least, with reference to the
way in which those state organizations
promote Workmanship. I want TO see
the young fellow who has been through
the national guard have received a
training which will make him able to
do bis work in time Of war i the need
comes -
I'm a great industrial civilization
such as ours we may just as well face
the fact that there is "A constant ten
dency to do away with, to eliminate,
those qualities which make a man a
good soldier. II should be the steady
object of every legislator, of every ex-
ecutive officer and, above ALL OF you
gentlemen who have to do with the
national guard, to try to encourage
those qualities, to try to counterfeit
the tendency toward their elimination.
1--WE have such a small regular army
that you men of the national guard
have upon you heavy responsibility.
want to say that, while It is incum-
bent upon you to take your duties seri-
ously and do them with all your heart.
IL you do even that you do more good
TO the nation than any equal body Of
citizens to be found In our country"
kcfxE~~ - - - $500 ~
National Guard 0Hieers Meet.